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So you are thinking what does debt consolidation and payday loans have in common? Well typically people who opt for payday loans are not very far from those who are currently considering debt consolidation as an effort to lower high interest credit card monthly payments. We live in a country where credit is relatively easy. In fact on any given day, most of you will receive a letter from a credit card company offering you the world but spelling out the harsh details in the fine print that unfortunately few ever take time to read. This article is not meant to pit debt consolidation and payday loans as good vs. evil.

It is intended to help you understand why people chose both alternatives. First of all, what exactly is debt consolidation? Debt Consolidation is the process of aggregating unsecured debt in order to lower overall interest rate and have one monthly payment. Who needs debt consolidation? If you are stuck with high interest monthly payments, especially from credit card debt, it is likely that debt consolidation would be appealing. In many cases people simply can not afford to pay what they are currently paying.

Keep this in mind. Lets transition to payday loans or cash advance. People that want a cash advance are those who are in a bind and need emergency cash. Payday loans and cash advance have high interest rates and many states prohibit them. I am not against them because I understand why people may need them as a last resort. In both insistences people are seeking debt relief; however, those solutions are not the ultimate solutions to the problems they try to solve. The true answer lies in our ability to spend vs. save.

The best debt consolidation program will get you out of debt if you finish the program; however, to fix the problem you must understand that living within your means is the true solution. A cash advance may help you pay for a bill when you come up short, but saving for a raining day is a lot cheaper than getting a payday loan. By acknowledging our own weakness, we can become stronger when we take action to improve ourselves.

Mortgages are secured loans that are given to first time buyers, homeowners and people who have bad credit. Once you are accepted for the loan, you must repay the debt, which will include interest rates. Some refinancing loans have additional fees attached. The secured loans have collateral attached, means that if you fail to make payments, you are subject to foreclosure or repossession. The bank will come and take your home and sell it for the amount you owe.

This is why it is wise to make sure you know what you are getting into if you plan to refinance to consolidate your debts. Some loans permit buyers to repay the loans in 25 years, while others allow 30 repayments. Few of the lenders available on the Internet that offer refinance loans for consolidation of debts are aware that people go through hard times-or at least they don’t deal with people directly enough to actually feel this hardship through talking to them.

On the loans that offer lower interest rates, combine payments for debt consolidation. If you can manage to pay for the loan in the time stipulated, it is likely that you will take less time to pay back the loan amount borrowed. Once you find a lender to refinance your mortgage and combine your bills for debt consolidation, you will receive a loan based on capital and interest.

The Repayment loans for refinancing and consolidation make it easy, since the lenders will combine the interest and repayments into one monthly installment. Still, few lenders will allow you to repay the interest rates only; however, be aware that these types of loans do not combine your payments for consolidation; rather they put you at risk in some instances.

Still, there are several types of loans available that will help you refinance for debt consolidation, so keep an open mind and mull over your choices carefully before you make a final decision.

One of the most important tasks debtors must carry out to achieve in debt consolidation is keeping away from complications. When debtors have bills that are behind merely because they didn’t have the cash to repay the debts, then their stress will build. Some people may go on binge, spending instead of paying their bills, and procrastinating instead of working to restore their credit.

These people may believe that after three, seven or ten years the problem will end, since the credit reports remove any pending debts after seven years and any bankruptcies after ten years. The fact is, the problem doesn’t go away the problems only get bigger. Yes, it is true: after three years, if you manage to payoff a debt, then the debt is removed from your credit report. In addition, yes, it is true if after seven years you failed to make payments the debt is removed in most instances from your credit report.

Furthermore, it is true that in many cases, after ten years, bankruptcy is removed from your credit report. If you have the patience to wait this long, can tolerate the hassling phone calls and letters, and don’t mind worrying about going to court for this long, then by all means procrastinate.

Bills and debt consolidation is optional, however bill and debt reduction is your best bet. You can do this by start paying as much every month on your bills as possible to reduce your debts.

Introduction

There are a number of different financial procedures available to a person in today’s modern financial world and one of the most important and interesting things about that is that the person that is aware of and uses all of the tools available to them is ultimately the person that is going to succeed. With as difficult as the world has become today from the point of view of handling one’s finances, the management of debt is definitely something that people should take a look at as well as the procedures that are available to help those same people get out of debt problems. One of the procedures is something known as debt consolidation and more information about debt consolidation is presented below.

Debt Consolidation

So what exactly is debt consolidation? Well, when you look at the different parts of the financial spectrum, what you immediately see is that for the average person in today’s world, there are a number of different sources of debt. When you take a look at things like debt from credit cards, debt from a mortgage, debt from car loans, debt from monthly bills and any other number of sources of debt that can exist in a person’s life, you can see how it would quite easily get to the point where the person would feel overwhelmed and not have a clue as to what they should actually do.

Well, one thing that these people can do is take out a loan that they can use to pay off all of their other sources of debt and therefore combine or consolidate them into one specific source of debt. Ultimately, this is the type of debt that is the easiest to manage and the type of debt that is the easiest to pay off. It is a scientifically proven fact that debt consolidation is quite frequently the easiest way for a person to get their debt into a position where they would be able to pay it off.

Advantages

There are a number of different advantages inherent to debt consolidation; the first of which was already mentioned briefly above. Paying debt off is easier when that debt is consolidated. From a logistical standpoint, this is specifically because keeping track of one source of debt or at the most two sources of debt is a lot easier than keeping track of five or six sources of debt and therefore when you have a lower amount of sources, keeping track is easier and ultimately paying it off becomes easier as well.

In addition to the logistical concerns, there are also financial concerns when it comes to debt. The most common way to consolidate debt would be a home loan and as we all know (or at least most of us do anyway), home loans have very low interest rates. Going from a 19.5% interest rate on a credit card to a 5.5% interest rate on a home loan is definitely something that could be considered great for a person. In addition to that, paying off the loan will also take lower amounts of payments each month. This is because of the lower monthly payments associated with home loans.

Debtor’s disease is a silent killer. Killer of respect, marriages, self control, and families. There isn’t a part of your life that it won’t touch and destroy with it’s deadly power. Some of you won’t even know you have it for many, many years. It’s a sneaky affliction; creeping into your life and slowly but surely taking control of every part of your existence.

Seems a bit of a dramatic description, doesn’t it? But, the sad part is, it’s all true. Even though we often hate to admit it, debt will control our lives totally. Even when we first realize it, we won’t do anything about it. We will deny it, continue to feed it, and give it all it needs to thrive within our lives. Oh, you’ll have help, no doubt about that. There are many ways we fuel the fever. Falling into the credit card trap is just the beginning. Self justification is your worst enemy. Why, the human mind is masterful at justifying just about any action, or purchase, given the right circumstances.

The first step is recognizing the disease. Diagnoses of debtor’s disease is much harder than you might expect. Oh, the symptoms are very clear for sure. But, since most of us hate to admit our own vulnerabilities and defeat, they can be nearly invisible to the victim. I experienced nearly all of the symptoms below before I finally excepted the fact that I did indeed have the affliction. It is quite a humiliating experience to realize that so many obvious warning signs were present and you continued down the wrong path.

They say hindsight is 2020; Meaning that the past is clearer when we look back. And, when things go wrong, we like to hope that we would have done things differently if we knew what we know now. Well, I’m hoping I can prevent you from some of that humiliation and financial disaster. You can stop it from growing to destructive levels if you can identify the warnings early on. Identify problems early and fix them. Make no mistake, if the following scenarios apply to your situation, you are headed for financial trouble.

SYMPTOMS

Requesting credit increases lately?

Requesting credit increases for no specific major purchase, but because your cards are maxed out, is a sure sign that your spending is out of control. You may be living way beyond your income.

Do you apply for new credit cards because your current credit balances are maxed out?
This is just another way to get additional credit especially, when you can’t seem to get any more credit increases from your existing creditors.

Are you rescheduling monthly bill payments due to lack of funds?

If you find it increasingly difficult to pay bills on time and according to a consistent schedule, you’re probably starting to get into trouble. You should not have to put off paying essential bills.

Are you using credit to meet your living expenses?

Credit is not intended to help you live above your income. You should be able to meet all of your essential living expenses with your income. If you have income left for non-essential expenses, great. If not, don’t turn to credit to live above your income. It will most certainly result in financial disaster.

Paying essential monthly bills, such as the electric or phone, with credit cards is a serious symptom. Once you turn to credit to pay your monthly bills, you’re in serious trouble. Sooner or later the credit cards will be maxed out, you will be refused additional credit increases, and you won’t be able to pay those bills.

Do your credit card payments equal more than 10 -15% of your monthly income?

Your income to credit ratio is an important part of your credit management picture. The higher your balances, without an increase in income, the lower your credit score. This is true even if you have no derogatory items on your credit history, and are consistently maintaining good payment records.

In most cases, creditors will identify debtor’s disease long before the victim realizes his affliction. They will begin to arm themselves against the consequences of the infection when this occurs. Your interest rates and penalties (i.e. late fees, over limit fees) may increase as companies anticipate default. Even they can see you’re headed for trouble.

THE CURE

If you answered yes to any or all of the above, you have fallen victim to debtor’s disease. Don’t let it take control of your life! Fix the problems now. You’ll have less stress and be a lot happier. I can say that with confidence. It is such a relief to be able to see an end to the struggle.

You will feel as though a great burden has been taken from you when your finances are under control. And, even though you may experience some difficult periods when you may get discouraged, you’ll find those times much less stressful that periods when you worried about how your bills would get paid. Take some serious money management steps to begin your treatment. It’s never too late to take control of your finances and make a commitment to debt free living.

Identify overspending and eliminate it.

Identify where your money goes. Track spending for specified period of time. Eliminate unnecessary expenses. Reduce those you feel you need to keep.

Develop a plan to become debt free.

Create a plan to get rid of debt. Use a self help plan or a professional. Whether you choose a counselor, debt consolidation or settlement, or a self help plan, lower debt consistently to manage and eliminate debt. A plan that calls for a consistent monthly commitment until debt is paid will be easier to budget.

Create a Household budget

Creating a household budget will be essential to your success. It is necessary to bring your living expenses within your income. This is the concept of living within your means. You can create this yourself as well or seek professional help in setting up or maintaining your budget. Your situation and your level of self discipline will determine what will be most successful for you. Find a plan that works for your situation and will be the easiest for you to stick to!

Implement lifestyle changes that will help you free up money to help pay down debt. Consistently apply these extra funds to debt payments to get out of debt faster. The sooner you are free from debt, the sooner you can start investing that money in yourself. Save money everyday on everything you buy and do.

Once you rid yourself of debt, commit to debt free living.

Remember, you now know how you made the mistakes, you know how to identify the symptoms, and you have the knowledge and power to implement the cure. You should now be immune to debtor’s disease. Now, you can vaccinate your children, friends, and family with the knowledge to prevent them from falling prey to this life draining affliction. Give them your hind sight and help them build happy, secure, and independent futures for themselves and their families.

Debt is a serious issue in Plymouth, like many other parts of the UK.  Indeed, in 2009, it was reported in the local newspaper that people seeking help to cope with their debts had risen by over 50% in terms of the previous year.

Now in some ways that seems like a scary announcement.  After all, for all the people seeking help with their debts, there are probably many others who are simply suffering in silence.  However, there is actually a positive way of looking at this.

If 50% more people are seeking out debt management advice, then they are actually seeking advice on managing their debt.  This is surely far better than say only 10% seeking debt management advice in Plymouth and thousands of other people simply trying to muddle through and then finding that they cannot cope?

Such a dramatic increase in the amount of debt management advice sought in Plymouth is therefore an example of people actually making sure that they take all the necessary steps to ensure that they can survive these difficult economic times.

It is true that it would be better if not so many people needed advice, but at least those people in Plymouth who are in difficulty are seeking the necessary advice to make sure that they survive.  Fighting to survive the recession is surely better than simply hiding from the red reminders, then the final demands and eventually the bailiffs?

So although many people in Plymouth were quite shocked by the sudden and dramatic increase in people needing debt management advice, the people who did sort themselves out are to be commended and praised for their direct approach and their self-reliance.  Indeed the people of Plymouth could be said to have a positive approach to debt and debt management, if there can indeed be such a thing!

Are you one of many Americans who find it hard to clear your credit card minimum every month?  If you are, you are most probably in credit card debts.

For your information, credit card debt is one of the most difficult types of debt to clear. Reasons being, credit card companies charge very high interest rate and of course always slap you with a high late payment or penalty fees whenever you cannot make your payment.

To get out of this mess, you will need to consolidate your credit card debts either yourself or with the help of an external agency.

1.Consolidate your debt yourself.
It’s neither easy nor too difficult to consolidate your own credit card debts. Almost every credit card company has their in house debt consolidation department to help their clients consolidate their credit card bills. What you need to do is to call them, and tell them your situation truthfully.

The chances of consolidating your debts successfully depend on how you put forward your situation to your creditors. How your creditors access your current financial health also play a part. Before you start to call your creditors, it might be wise to check out for more tips and guide on how to negotiate with your creditors online.

2.Engage the service of debt consolidation companies and programs.
There are many free government programs to help people consolidate their debts, but these free services often require that you chalk up a certain amount of debts before they help and you must also meet their requirements.

The last option would be to engage the service of debt consolidation companies. By charging you a fee, debt consolidation companies will negotiate with your creditors for lower interest, better repayment method and lastly help you devise a financial plan to help clear your debts in a systematic way.

No matter what options you take to consolidate your debt, do it early and you will get a live a debt-free life again.

It can be disheartening when you apply for a credit card and get turned down. However, in the vast majority of cases, it really is not anything that you need to worry about. While there are some people out there who would be approved for virtually everything they could think of applying for, for the vast majority of us, applying for a credit card can take a little time and some trial and error.

Credit card providers generally have pretty strict criteria that they are looking for from applicants when they launch a new credit card. They will be targeting the card at a specific segment of the market and will have a credit score range that they are seeking from applicants. If you do not fall within this score range, you will not be in their target range and will be refused the card. But this does not mean that you will not be successful when you apply for another credit card that is targeting your section of the market. And it is important not to take the rejection to heart.

Determining Your Credit Score

You may feel that you are trustworthy and always pay your bills and that you should not be turned down for credit, but remember that credit approval is no longer a personal exercise but is by and large automated and subject to computer credit checks and the like. A computer will look at your credit score and give a yes or no answer, and no individual attention will be paid personally to your application at all. It is a necessary way of running the system for lenders who have literally thousands of clients and applications to manage as efficiently as possible.

The Next Step After Rejection

If you are refused for credit, then apply to a couple more companies. You should try not to rush the process and apply for one card at a time. You usually receive your answer within a couple of days. The reason for this is that if you apply for too much credit too quickly, it will show up on your credit report and may cause lenders to turn you down. So be patient and if possible, ask the lender why they have rejected you.

Patience is a Virtue in Credit Card Applications Too

The chances are you are simply applying for the wrong type of card, for example, if you are a student, you will really only be approved by companies that make a point of providing credit cards to students and most other will reject you as a matter of course. So by a little patience, and taking the time to make your application to a credit card company that targets the segment of the market that you fit into, you should be able to get your hands on a credit card before too long.

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Take Credit Repair after Bankruptcy Step by Step

Getting credit again after bankruptcy is a concern that seems too complex but it is in its real sense simple. Yes. One can have another chance at re-establishing his or her credit. This is through the process of credit repair after bankruptcy. In order to obtain this, one must develop great patience because re – establishing one’s credit do take time.

In credit repair after bankruptcy credit worthiness is important. Credit worthiness is usually measured by one’s credit history, which represents one’s financial reputation among creditors. Failing to pay off one’s credit card debt, not paying off the minimum monthly amount, missing a payment or not making one’s payments on time can lead one person on a path to damaged credit So if one is planning to do credit repair after bankruptcy it is important that his or her credit shows worthiness.

Satisfying all the demands of a  bankruptcy case is obviously the first intelligent step taken to credit repair after bankruptcy. The next step one will have to take is repairing one’s credit report. A credit report usually includes the approximate amounts and locations of a person’s bank accounts, charge accounts, loans, and other debts, bill-paying habits, defaults, bankruptcies, foreclosures, marital status, occupation, income and lawsuits.

Two or three years after filing for bankruptcy, there should be a possibility that one will want to start rebuilding good credit by applying for secured credit cards, preferably cards without annual fees attached to them. One could also do a research on the internet to see what others have done in similar situations.

In doing credit repair after bankruptcy, it is germane to start small. It is unrealistic to expect anyone to hand a person doing a credit repair after bankruptcy a $10,000 credit limit overnight. It will never happen. One should make monthly payments in the full amount. A person’s payment transactions will determine how successful his or her new credit report will be. One must never be late with payments for it could be another road to bad credit history.

In doing credit repair after bankruptcy, the stronger is a person’s current financial condition, the better. It is a must to convince lenders that one has left the bankruptcy behind. One must show that he or she is able to manage  money matters after the bankruptcy in such an efficient way. Prompt payments made in a full amount are very impressive to a credit lender.

However, if one is denied of a major credit card, he or she should not get distraught, and instead, he should try applying for a department store’s line of credit or a card issued by an oil company. These are small steps to start rebuilding a credit future.

Strange though it may sound a credit card can be a useful tool in controlling debt. The properly chosen credit card can, in fact, be used to consolidate debt. There are several features to look for though if you plan to use a credit card in this manner. As is always the case before you scrutinize any credit card option, you should first have a clear understanding of your credit situation.

Whenever you are approaching a decision about your credit it is of primary importance to pull your credit report. The government has mandated that all individuals be allowed an annual free credit report. When accessing this report make sure that you have gone to a truly free credit report site. Some companies lure people into their sites by advertising a free credit report and then ask for credit card information. Free credit reports are available from such sites but if you have supplied them with credit card information you may find that your card will be billed thirty days later for a credit report update. The charges will continue ever thirty days or so after the initial billing until you have cancelled the service. The best idea is not to give out any billing information in order to receive your free report.

Get a report from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Experian, Trans Union and Equifax). When you ask for your report the site will also offer to send a credit score (FICO score) for a small additional fee; knowing your FICO is also beneficial and generally worth the nominal cost. Again, read the fine print and be careful not to set up any ongoing transactions.

After receiving the three reports analyze them carefully. You are unique but your name may not be. Make sure all the credit card bills are actually yours. Also check to make sure your social security number is listed correctly. Social security numbers are keyed in by hand and thus subject to error. One digit misplaced can give you someone else’s derogatory credit. Report any errors to the agencies. Make the report to all three agencies as they do not share information.

Now you have a list of all the revolving credit card debt that you owe, the balances and contact information. This is the money owed that may be ripe to consolidate on one credit card. Contact the creditors and find out what the current interest rate is on each card and if there are any programs which would allow you to reduce that rate. Let the companies know you are actively shopping for alternatives to your current rates. Customers in good standing with their credit card companies, customers with high FICO scores and customers who regularly charge and make their payments are valued by credit card companies. It may be that you will be offered incentives to retain their cards. Also, inquire about any balance transfer opportunities or other programs such as frequent flier miles.

Now you are going to design your own program to consolidate credit card debt. Compile a list of all the companies with columns comparing the like features: Interest rates, penalties, incentives, credit limits. When choosing which company to use to consolidate your credit cards, look at all the features not just the interest rates. Narrow down the options to two or three cards. Speak with company representatives. It may be possible to negotiate even better terms.

Once you have chosen an institution with which to consolidate credit card debt, follow through and transfer as many of your outstanding balances as possible to that one card. Adjust your credit card behavior and be disciplined about your use of credit. Cut up all the other cards. You may even wish to close all accounts other than one for emergencies. Don’t carry the two remaining cards in your wallet. Remember, charge cards are nice as long as you, not the card, are in charge.

So you are getting collection calls? You’re desk is full of unpaid bills. You dread answering the phone. You are having trouble sleeping at night because you are worrying about a bunch of bills. You feel depressed.

Does any of this sound familiar? If it does then, maybe this article can help you. First of all you need to realize that you are not the only one. You are not alone. Then you need to know that there can be light at the end of the tunnel.

This article is not meant to be legal advice. It is to let you know your rights under the law. Perhaps it will steer you in the right direction. As this site is targeted for residents of Jacksonville, I will only deal with Florida statutes. I will explain your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This is legislation that was enacted in 1977 to stop abusive collection practices. I quote the Florida State Attorney General How to Protect Yourself: Debt CollectionsConsumer Source: The Florida Attorney General’s Office

You may have questions relating to debt collections if you are contacted by a “debt collector,” someone who regularly tries to collect debts owed to others. A debt collector may contact you if you are behind in your payments to a creditor on a personal, family or household debt, or if an error has been made in your account. A debt collector may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax. However, a collector may not communicate with you or your family with such frequency as can reasonably be expected to be harassing. A debt collector may not contact you at work if the collector knows your employer disapproves. A collector may not contact you at unreasonable times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree.

A debt collector is required to send you a written notice within five days after you are first contacted, telling you the amount of money you owe. The notice must also specify the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and what action to take if you believe you do not owe the money. You may stop a collector from contacting you by writing a letter to the agency telling them to stop. Once the agency receives your letter, they may not contact you again except to say there will be no further contact, or to notify you if the debt collector or the creditor intends to take some specific action. If you do not believe you owe the debt, you may write to the collection agency within 30 days after you are first contacted saying you don’t owe the money. The agency may not contact you after that unless you are sent proof of the debt, such as a copy of the bill.

A debt collector may not harass or abuse any person. For instance, a collector may not use threats of violence against the person, property or reputation, use obscene or profane language, advertise the debt, or A debt collector may not use false statements, such as: falsely implying that they are attorneys, that you have committed a crime, or that they operate or work for a credit bureau or misrepresenting the amount of your debt, the involvement of an attorney in collecting a debt, or indicating that papers sent to you are legal forms when they are not. Debt collectors may not tell you that you will be arrested if you do not pay, that they will seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so and has a legal right to do so, or that a lawsuit will be filed against you, when they have no legal right to file or do not intend to file such a suit.

If you have a question about whether the collection agency which has contacted you is properly registered, you may file a complaint either with the Attorney General’s office or the Federal Trade Commission, Correspondence Branch, Washington, D.C. 20580. You may file suit against the collection agency for violating state andor federal law. If you prevail, you may be awarded your actual damages, attorney’s fees and costs. The protection he mentions is from the FDCPA. The FDCPA is not a Florida law. It is a federal law. The law provides for stiff penalties for debt collectors (i.e. the actual collector or the company or agency for which heshe works). This means that you do not have to put up with collection harassment or being insulted or threatened with such things as going to jail, criminal charges, seizing you wages, calling your employer or friends and family to tell them about the debt. You do not deserve this type of treatment and should not stand for it. They may not misrepresent themselves. They can’t tell you they are from the Sheriff’s Office, “warrants processing”, or an attorney’s office (unless they do work for an attorney). Most of the abusive practices are done over the phone. Letters and correspondence will usually comply with the law.

If you feel that a collector(s) are being abusive you have several options : 1) contact the supervisor or owner of the agency. The one on the phone is usually an hourly employee. Higher ups normally want their people to comply with the law as to prevent costly lawsuits against them.

2) You may also notify them that they are not to call you again. This should be done in writing by certified mail with return receipt so that you have proof that you did advise them not to call you. This is a no call request. You should only do this after repeated incidents. Why do I say this? You may get one call where the collector is rude. The next one you get may not be.

Having done collections for many years, I often had calls where the person was angry from the last person they had spoken to. But by working with them I was able to come to a mutually agreeable solution. So because you had one bad experience doesn’t mean they are all like that.
Many collectors strive to stay within the law. But you do have the right to do this under the law.

3) Contact the Federal Trade Commission (http:www.ftc.gov).

4) Consult an attorney. The bottom line is that you don’t have to take abusive practices. Bear in mind also that they can’t harass you. Calling you one time every 3-7 days isn’t harassment. Calling you repeatedly on the same day after they have done spoke to you may be considered collection harassment. Calling before 8 am and after 9pm is against the FDCPA. An attorney can best determine if it is.

Perhaps the problem isn’t that you are being harassed or abused. You are behind and don’t know what to do. You know you owe the debt but don’t have the money to resolve it right now. Lets look at your options. Debt is either of 2 kinds. Secured or unsecured. A secured debt means that there is an asset that secures it, such as a house or a car. Unsecured is normally a credit card or similar account.

With a secured debt the creditor has the right to take possession of the secured asset if you do not pay. You may also be liable for the balance of what was owed less what the creditor sold it for. With an unsecured debt the debt continues going past due until it “charges off”. This means the creditor has to remove it from the books as an asset. This doesn’t mean they just “write it off” and the debt goes away. Typically they will either send it to a collection agency to try to recover or they may send it to a collection attorney to take action. This is up to the creditor to decide which action they will take.

Now less review your options.

1)Keep the lines of communication open between you and your creditor. They want to work with you to resolve it. It does neither you nor them any good if they have to repot your car or charge off your account. If you have run into problems, let them know.

2) Don’t promise something that you can’t do. If you can’t commit to an amount then don’t say you will. Creditors normally keep track of the number of times you break your promises and it some case it may influence their actions later on.

3) Most secured creditors will allow you to skip one or two payments and put it on the back of the loan. Each one has different rules for this.

4) Most unsecured creditors have programs to work with debtors. The most prevalent one is a “reage” or “cure” program. For instance, your monthly payment is £50. You are 4 months behind. You don’t have the money to catch it up. But you could make that £50 a month payment now. I have seen this scenario many times in my years as a collector. The statement is wanting £200 and they can only do £50. With a “reage” or “cure” program they would just have to resume making the £50 a month and after 3 months the account is current. Which means it will report to the credit bureau as current and it will not be getting late fees since it isn’t considered late any more. Call your creditor and ask about a “reage” program. They may call it something else.

5) Credit Card companies have a minimum payment, which is usually something like 2.5% of the balance plus any overlimit amount. I have seen many people get behind and have their credit affected by it because of this. View the example Credit limit balance Payment % Minimum MIN+ ovrlmt 1000 1100 3.0 £33 £133 In this example the payment being requested by the credit card company is £133. The person may get this and be unable to pay the £133. Instead they pay nothing. Hence their account goes past due.

The next statement the the amount is even greater since there was no payment the month before and it is even more overlimit because of finance charges, late fees and overlimit fees. However if the person had paid the £33(3% of balance) the account wouldn’t have went past due. It would still have gotten an overlimit fee but no late fees since it is still current on the payments. Check your cardholder agreement to determine the minimum payment percentage.

I realize this has been lengthy. I hope it has been of some help. Check back again for the next article in this series. If you know someone this can help, please refer them to the site.