Monday, December 31, 2007

Credit Card's Dirty Little Secrets

Do you know about credit cards and their dirty little secrets? I make my living knowing about them and I was unable to answer all the questions at a great quiz from the PBS Frontline program Secret History of The Credit Card at Credit Card Quiz. Take the quiz and see how much you do or don't know about universal default, and other credit card issues. Then read this article for more dirty little secrets this great PBS special offered. Here are a few appetizers:

UNIVERSAL DEFAULT - did you know the credit card company can raise your interest rate if you are late on ANY payment? I don't mean late just to the credit card but to ANYBODY! Be late on your phone bill, car, house... ANYTHING. Or if in the eyes of a creditor you simply have to much outstanding credit, all bets are off regardless of whatever interest rate you signed up for.

The logic is simple. The industry believes it is within its rights to protect its interest in a more risky unsecured loan venture. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to raise rates if it has reason to think risk of being repaid has changed. And as a lender, the creditor has every right to view your credit file any time it wants... all of your file and not just its own payment history.

MINIMUM NOTICE CHANGES - If the above is not bad enough, consider the consumer with on time payments every month on everything. No problem, right? WRONG! Buried within the contract (that contract law attorneys admit they have great difficulty interpreting), is a clause that allows the company to change your interest rate "at any time, for any reason, as long as the holder is given 15 days' notice." That's right. They can change their mind AFTER you make a purchase at 6.5% (for example) and any former agreements are null and void. How can a purchase price be changed after the sale? No other industry can do this but the credit card company.

USURY OR NOT - According to Frontline, "There is no federal limit on the interest rate a credit card company can charge." In fact an interest rate of 35% is not unheard of. This is because in the 1980s South Dakota and Delaware eliminated the cap on usury laws which is what constitutes the maximum allowable interest to be charged. Have you ever noticed the return address on your credit card statement? Chances are it is Delaware or South Dakota. Gee, I wonder why.

DEADBEATS and REVOLVERS - Deadbeat use to mean someone not taking responsible action. This is not true in the upside down credit industry. In credit card bill jargon, "Deadbeats" pay their balances off in full every month. They are deadbeats because the industry receives very little profit off of these responsible consumers. On the other hand, "Revolvers" roll credit card balances over month to month and never pay in full. This is the ideal customer because of the profit generated. Then there are "Rate Surfers" or "Gamers" who shift usage between credit cards based upon interest rates.

FEES - Again quoting Frontline, "In 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court in Smiley vs. Citibank lifted the existing restrictions on late penalty fees. This means simply, there is no limit on the amount a credit card company can charge a cardholder for being even an hour late with a payment." But this has opened a Pandora's box for not only late fees, but over the limit fees and bad check fees as well. A lawyer who worked on the Smiley case says he believes penalty fees which use to be $5 or $10 could rise to $50 in another year. Now the consumer not only must contend with a higher rate, but late fees as well. Additionally what if these fees put them over the limit creating still another fee. It is a never ending spiral towards bankruptcy.

MINIMUM PAYMENT - Consumers use to be required to pay 5% of the outstanding balance. But slick credit card marketers suggested implementing a 2% required minimum payment. This was advertised as consumer friendly with "easy low payments." The truth is, the tactic allowed consumers to increase their debt because of the lower payment which in turn created more profit through higher debt over a longer time period.

Looking for some credit repair ebooks to help with your credit repair decisions? Both of these are excellent choices: Debt Credit Repair 750 and also Totally Debt Free Lifestyle: Your Transition to a Better Financial Situation is also a good choice.


To find out what your credit score is this place can help True Credit

Saturday, December 22, 2007

How To Repair Your Credit Using Credit Repair Services - Save Hundreds of Dollars In The Process

Credit Repair Services are available to consumers that want to repair their own credit and eliminate high cost attorney or credit counseling services. If you have little money and more time you may want to consider using a credit repair service and repair your own credit.

Many people do not understand the American credit system. The credit system has "little credit secrets" that they do not want consumers to know about. If the credit bureaus do not intimidate you, then you might consider using a credit repair service to repair your credit.


Credit repair services offer you an understanding of how the American credit system operates. They can show you step by step how to raise your credit score and eliminate debt if you are willing to take advantage of their services.

By using these credit repair services you can improve your credit much faster and more efficiently without paying (up to) $795 for attorney fees. Utilizing these do it yourself credit repair services versus a credit counseling service also allows you to eliminate hundreds of dollars in monthly fees plus the start up fees they require.

The problem is that the attorneys and credit counseling services don't want you to know about credit repair services; they want you to believe they are the only ones that can fix your credit.

The truth is you can repair your credit yourself. During my investigations of how to repair credit I discovered how to take advantage of these credit repair services that allow you to follow a simple step by step, at home program and repair your credit twice as fast as any attorney or credit counseling service while saving hundreds.

Credit repair services are for the average person that needs to repair their credit, it might be worth while to check into these credit repair services.

Credit Repair Services are easy to understand and incorporate to help you repair your own credit. If you want to learn how to raise your credit score for half the cost and in half the time that an attorney or credit counseling service can do, then check out [http://CreditSecretsBibleOnline.Info/]CreditSecretsBibleOnline to get all the information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_DeCoteau http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Repair-Your-Credit-Using-Credit-Repair-Services---Save-Hundreds-of-Dollars-In-The-Process-&id=541380

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Is Citibank Credit Report Information Reliable?

Citibank is not offering customers the ability to get their credit reports. However, they are giving them a good deal of information with regard to how to read their credit reports and credit report repair. This information will enable customers to repair their credit scores and reports each year. Citibank offers a good deal of information on the subjects of reading a credit report and credit report repair. It is not the simple, every day advice of creating and sticking to a household budget. Are you aware of the three C’s of good credit? If not you should be visiting the Citibank web site.

This web site offers an abundance of advice on credit repair and knowing how to keep your credit score in the high range. They offer a number of tools and information on how to read a credit report as well. There are loads of important ideas, advice and tools readily available for customers to learn how they can make their monthly payments and control their debts that are all extremely important when learning about credit report repair.

Of all the information available on the internet, it has to be said that Citibank is offering the greatest and most helpful tips and hints on its own web site. It is an absolute must for anyone who wants to learn how to read his or her own credit report to visit this web site and learn exactly what you should be looking for. So, if you are looking for information on credit repair, this is the site for you. You may be looking to repair your credit, apply for credit or just trying to figure out what exactly your credit report is about. Visit the Citibank web site today.

Get all of your credit report information at http://goodcreditforyou.com
Copyright 2006 @ Ann Born http://goodcreditforyou.com
No part of this article may be reproduced in any manner without including the author's bio.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ann_Born http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Citibank-Credit-Report-Information-Reliable?&id=270932

Monday, December 17, 2007

Seven Important Tips For Credit Repair

In today’s society, no one can overemphasize the importance of
a good credit line. In fact, having a bad credit record is even
worse than having no money at all. Without bad credit it would
be very difficult to get loans and do other transactions that
would soon become necessary in the future such as applying for
an apartment. However, people with bad credit need not sulk
since they can still save themselves from their bad record
through credit repair.

Credit repair may be done with a help of a financial adviser
but it also helps to make some adjustments yourself. The best
way of doing this is by proving that you are indeed capable of
managing your finances. There are many ways of doing this, some
of them are quite simple but they can definitely help mend a
broken credit record.

Here are some important tips for credit repair:

1. Be sure to have your accounts settled on time. Whenever you
get your bills, pay them immediately even way before the due
date so you would not forget. Credit bureaus have a high regard
for payment history and they factor it in your credit score,
taking up as much as 35% of the score. A good idea is to have
your accounts registered on automatic transfer so that payments
would immediately be made.

2. If you have past debts, pay them off, or at least show that
you are trying to. If you do not have enough money to pay
everything, keep paying even in small installments. This will
show that you are indeed responsible enough in trying to clear
your accounts. Pay as much as your budget allows and pay
regularly. Credit bureaus will notice these efforts, increasing
your chances of getting a better score.

3. In case you do miss paying some accounts, try to catch up
immediately. Not only do credit bureaus look at your missed
payments, they also check how long bills are kept unpaid. If you
respond quickly, you can still show that you can indeed pay your
debts even if it is a little later.

4. Register to vote. While it may not seem to be connected,
registered voters do have better standings with credit bureaus.
It can show that you are a responsible citizen as well as a
responsible creditor.

5. Get hold of your own copy of your credit report. In the
credit report, you would find a list of reasons you got a low
score. Knowing this is necessary for credit repair and to avoid
future mistakes.

6. Limit yourself to only one or two new credit accounts if you
do intend to apply. Possibly, a bad-credit card and a bad-credit
mortgage would be enough for you to manage easily. Getting
several credit accounts at once may make you a hot object for
credit bureaus.

7. Keep your old accounts, do not close them. Closing your old
bad accounts will not erase them from your credit record. Pay
them off and then keep them clean. Having old accounts can
actually increase your average account age, which can help boost
your credit rating and help repair your record.

Bad credit is not impossible to repair if you know for yourself
the important steps to mend your broken record. Try these steps
yourself and see your credit line improve.

About the Author: Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has
written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more
information credit repair or finding a bad credit credit card
checkout http://www.realeasycredit.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=152154&ca=Finances

Saturday, December 15, 2007

3 Tips for Online Credit Repair

There are many people who are trying to repair their credit, and they often go to the internet for help. If you decide to use the internet, you will need to know some tips for online credit repair before you get deeply involved in this endeavor. There are many scams to beware of out there, so you need to be prepared to avoid them.

The following are some helpful tips for online credit repair that will keep you on the right track while you are trying to fix your credit online.

Online Credit Repair Tip #1 - Don’t Pay for What You Can Do Yourself - No doubt you will find that there are many online companies out there saying that they can help you get rid of negative things on your credit report, and they will probably want to charge you a hefty price as well.

You can actually dispute negative items on your credit report yourself, so why pay out money to someone else to do it for you? If you can do it on your own, do not pay for it. Doing it yourself will be cheaper and you will be assured that it actually gets done as well.

Online Credit Repair Tip #2 - Avoid Fraudulent Claims - One of the most important tips for online credit repair is that you avoid companies that make fraudulent claims. There are companies out there that may tell you that they can create a brand new credit file for you, but doing this is actually illegal.

Other companies may say that they can help you get perfect credit in a few days, which is also a fraudulent claim, since it can take months to dispute and have negative items removed from your credit report. Be aware of the scam artists that are out there so you know how to spot fraudulent claims.

Online Credit Repair Tip #3 - You Can Only Change Inaccuracies - Another one of the important tips for online credit repair that you need to remember is that you can only change things on your credit report that are actually inaccurate. Some companies will try to tell you that you can get rid of all of the negative marks on your report, but this is only true if the negative item is a mistake. If it is true, then you cannot legally get rid of it.

Many people want to repair their credit, and going online seems like a great place to go. Although you can find helpful information about credit repair online, there are many scams online that may try to draw you in with their wonderful promises of good credit. When you start looking online and trying to repair your credit, be sure to keep these tips for online credit repair in mind so you make the right decisions.

Learn more about how to use [http://www.mydebtconsolidationtips.com/creditrepairtips.html]credit repair tips with Freddie Johnson's free articles on debt relief, debt consolidation, debt management and credit repair tips at http://www.mydebtconsolidationtips.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Freddie_Johnson http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Tips-for-Online-Credit-Repair&id=534764

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Improving Credit With Credit Repair by Jim Brown

Don't feel helpless and hopeless if you have bad credit for this will not last forever. You can actually take steps to help begin the repair of your credit.

When you have a bad credit situation one of the initial steps that you could take would be to stop using your credit cards for you don't want to continue accumulating credit card purchases and increasing your credit card debt. Until you are in control of your financial situation, I suggest that you refrain from using your credit cards.

Try to secure a copy of your credit report. Being able to review your credit report will give you an idea of what areas to improve and what possible courses of action you can take. Get a copy of your credit report from the three credit bureaus.

Check your credit report. If you happen to find any mistakes, report the incorrect information to have them removed. Your credit report will contain as well information about incorrect information that has been disputed with any of the credit bureaus.

About 35% of credit score is made up of your payment history so it is best that your past due accounts have a current status. Turning delinquent accounts into current status can have a significant impact on your credit rating and standing.

Avoid adding in more credit applications while you are trying your best to repair and improve you credit. You will likely be turned down and denied of credit and such denied applications will only help decrease your credit score.

Accounts with balances should be kept open. While you may be tempted to terminate delinquent credit card accounts, ensure that doing such will not affect your credit rating negatively in any manner.

Try to call your creditors for while you feel they are the last people you want to talk to, you may find that they might be willing to help you out with your current financial situation. Try to negotiate with your creditors to pay in smaller monthly payments for a specified time period until you are up on your feet with regards your financial standing.

Paying off your debts will definitely improve your credit and financial situation. If you do not have the cash on hand you can always make a sacrifice for instance by selling off some of your belongings to speed up the paying process.

Don't be ashamed to get help. Professional help like credit counseling is available to aid you on possible options and courses of action to help you with your credit problem.

You cannot expect your credit damage to be repaired overnight. Be patient and continue what you have started by continuing on the steps you have undertaken to improve your credit.



James Brown writes about Adaptive Marketing key code, Academy Law web code and FreeCreditReport.com deals

Article Source: http://articlefree4all.com

Monday, December 10, 2007

What You Need To Consider When Selecting a Credit Repair Company by Cornie Herring

People with credit problem always try their best to improve their credit score. Although they can repair their credit score by themselves at little or no cost but many do choose to hire a professional from Credit Repair Company to help them because they either have no time, patience or knowledge to do it themselves. If you have decided to get help from a credit repair company, what are the things to be considered when selecting a credit repair company? Here are a few of important considerations:

1. Legitimate of Credit Repair Company

It is important to ensure that you are selecting a legitimate credit repair company to perform your credit repair work, else you may waste your money without getting your credit score improve; in addition, an illegal credit repair company may cause your credit problem goes even worse. The rule of thumb, any legitimate Credit Repair Company should be able to provide you with at least half a dozen of references and you should be able to call these references for further clarification.

2. The Credit Repair Company Has Good Reputation

If possible, you should ask your friends, family and relatives who know someone with success story on repairing their credit by a Credit Repair Company. You can get the service from this proven reputable Credit Repair Company to do the credit restoration work for you.

3. Fee Payment Structure

Most common payment structures for many Credit Repair Companies are using the monthly "auto-debit" fee. In this structure, you normally will be asked to pay an up front fee of $49 to $99 and then a monthly fee of $39 to $49. Although this payment structure has advantage on affordability to pay the fee in monthly basis, but you need to aware that it also comes with many disadvantages such as the Credit Repair Company has no incentive to process your case quickly because the longer they drag your case, the more monthly fee they will collect from you and earn more. If your selected Credit Repair Company is using this payment structure, then, you will need to ensure some protection written in the agreement on the maximum fee or a guaranteed duration in your credit restoration work.

4. Located in Home State

The Credit Repair Company is doing your credit restoration work on behalf of you and it should look by credit bureau that the work is done by you. If the credit bureau catches that your credit repairing is done by a third party, they may mark the dispute as frivolous and flag your credit file. In order to ensure any mail goes to credit bureau is postmarked from your home state; you should always consider a Credit Repair Company which located at your home state, unless the Credit Repair Company which located out of your home state has a service that ensure all the mailing send to credit bureau will be sent from your home state through their branches or partners which located at your home state.

Summary

It is important for you to select a Credit Repair Company that can really help you to improve your credit score in a timely basis and worth the money you spend for it.



Cornie Herring is an finance author of http://www.debt-consolidation-1stop.info, an informative website that provides FREE information and guides on credit repairing, debt settlement & bankruptcy alternatives.

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Credit Repair: How to Stop a Collector by Jim Kemish

Your Thirty-Day Window

Have you received a collection notice? Don’t ignore it! The first receipt of a collection notice contains an opportunity that you should not miss. If you dispute the debt in the thirty days after receiving notice the collector must stop all collection activities while investigating your dispute, and may not make any attempt to collect until he has provided you with verification of the debt. In addition, the debt may not be reported on your credit report during this period of time. If you do not respond within thirty days you have effectively waived your right to demand investigation under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This is an important right and may serve you well if you have any question about the accuracy of the debt. Are you in a credit repair program? The more comprehensive credit repair programs provide debt validation as part of their service at no extra charge. Simply forward the collection notice to your credit repair company immediately so that they can respond within the time allowed.

FDCPA § 809. Validation of debts [15 USC 1692g (b) “If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.”

The Cease Communication Letter

In some cases collectors can be abusive and cause significant stress. Consumers often give in to the pressure for partial payment at the expense of their food and housing budget causing needless hardship for themselves and their family. If you are faced with a high-pressure collector it may be best to put an end to their communication. The FDCPA requires collectors to stop collection efforts upon receiving a written request to stop. If you are in a credit repair program they should be happy to prepare the cease communication letter on your behalf as well as providing competent counsel.

FDCPA § 805. Communication in connection with debt collection [15 USC 1692c] (c) “Ceasing Communication. If a consumer notifies a debt collector in writing that the consumer refuses to pay a debt or that the consumer wishes the debt collector to cease further communication with the consumer, the debt collector shall not communicate further with the consumer with respect to such debt, except -- (1) to advise the consumer that the debt collector's further efforts are being terminated; (2) to notify the consumer that the debt collector or creditor may invoke specified remedies which are ordinarily invoked by such debt collector or creditor; or (3) where applicable, to notify the consumer that the debt collector or creditor intends to invoke a specified remedy.”

In some cases, if the dollar amount is enough, and the collector believes that you have the ability to pay they may serve you with court papers. This may or may not happen. The process of filing suit is expensive and may not justify the results. Whatever a collector sounds like on the phone you can bet that the decision to pursue or not pursue your case will be rational. If you cannot afford to pay you may decide to let it take its course. As always, it is best to contact a competent credit repair professional to discuss the potential benefits and risks of any action.

Get an Attorney

The FDCPA requires collectors to stop collection efforts upon receiving notice that an attorney is representing you. Once a collector receives this notice they must direct all further communications to the attorney. This approach has several benefits. The right attorney may be able to raise useful defenses. In the credit repair business we often suggest this course of action where the dollar amount of the collection is significant or where the collector is especially aggressive.

FDCPA § 805. Communication in connection with debt collection [15 USC 1692c] (a) “Without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, a debt collector may not communicate with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt -- (2) if the debt collector knows the consumer is represented by an attorney with respect to such debt and has knowledge of, or can readily ascertain, such attorney's name and address, unless the attorney fails to respond within a reasonable period of time to a communication from the debt collector or unless the attorney consents to direct communication with the consumer…”

Copyright © 2007 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.



Jim Kemish, a nationally recognized credit repair and restoration expert, is the president and founder of Sky Blue Credit, a leading credit repair business since 1989. Jim is also the president of Power Mortgage, a Florida mortgage company based in Delray Beach, Florida.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Credit Repair Common Sense by Jim Kemish

High Stakes in the Credit Repair Game

Your financial life depends on the content of your credit. Every time you apply for credit a lender will check your report with at least one of the three bureaus. The content of your report will determine your eligibility for a loan as well as the interest rate you will pay. The interest rate in turn will determine your monthly payment. Higher rates mean higher payments, and higher payments erode your ability to save and enjoy the security that comes from building wealth. The goal of any legitimate credit repair company should be to re-shape your credit to meet the highest lender standard and improve the quality of your financial life.

Some Amazing Numbers

Did you know that each of the three bureaus maintain credit files on over 200 million Americans? Each individual credit file contains the history and current status of credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, collections, public records, and more. Current accounts must be updated monthly and are dependant on the accurate participation of millions of creditors and other data furnishers. The shear amount of data is mind-boggling.

The Cost of Errors

Given the amount of data being managed by the credit bureaus it is not a surprise that there are errors. But what does it mean to you? According to the National Association of State PIRGs (a nonprofit, public interest advocacy organization) 79% of all credit reports contain mistakes, 54% of all credit reports contain personal information that is long outdated, belongs to a stranger, or is otherwise incorrect, 30% of all credit reports contain accounts that are closed by the consumer but continue to be reported as open, and 25% of all credit reports contain errors serious enough to result in the outright denial of credit. As a credit repair professional dealing with credit reports on a daily basis, I can attest to this widespread occurrence of errors. Is everything correct on your on your report? The odds are not in your favor.

Russian Roulette

Somewhere between the 79% of consumers with errors on their reports, and the 25% who will be denied credit due to those errors, exists a vast number who will be bumped into a lower credit class and pay a higher interest rate than they should. Many of these consumers will never be aware of the fact that lenders are quietly charging them one or two percent more on their loans. Let’s translate the statistics. 79% represents 158 million Americans with errors on their credit reports. 25% represents 50 million Americans that will be denied credit due to errors. The vast middle ground contains 108 million Americans who may be paying hundreds of extra dollars each month as a result of errors in the credit reporting system. What about you? If you are not paying attention to the content of your credit report you are playing financial Russian roulette. If you are in the majority, an intelligent credit repair effort can pay for itself a hundred times over.

A Case of Skewed Statistics

I have been in the credit repair business since 1989 and have come to the unfortunate conclusion that people with real credit issues, those whom have missed payments, fallen behind, or defaulted on a debt, are more than twice as likely to have serious errors on their reports than the statistical norm. In other words, the potential for errors becomes considerably worse for those that can afford it the least. Why does this happen? When an account slips into a derogatory status it is no longer in the mainstream; the creditor often moves the account to a different department; the creditor name may be reported slightly differently and account numbers may be modified. If the account is charged off and sent to a collector it is almost inevitable that it will eventually appear in duplicate or triplicate on your report. And over time collection accounts change hands, often shedding their statute of limitation start date and continue to report well beyond their proper expiration, sometimes appearing as if brand new.

The Credit Repair Road to Recovery

Have you had legitimate credit issues? Are you working on recovering from those issues? The good news is that a competent credit repair effort can effectively remove the errors from your report and give you the fair chance that you deserve. Do you know that you can get your three credit reports for free one time per year? Go to AnnualCreditReport.com, the only site where you can get your reports for free with no strings attached. Review your reports. Call a credit repair expert for a consultation. Take charge today. It’s your right, and there is nothing that can have more of an impact on your financial life.

Copyright © 2007 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.



Jim Kemish, a nationally recognized credit repair and restoration expert, is the president and founder of Sky Blue Credit, a leading credit repair business since 1989. Jim is also the president of Power Mortgage, a Florida mortgage company based in Delray Beach, Florida.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Credit Rapair Advice Can Cost You Dearly by Jay Corbett

You need to get the best advice to make the right decisions with anything in life and getting good debt management advice is of the utmost importance because it can have such a huge impact on your life now and in the future.

If you have debt problems that are manageable with a good plan of your own and a suitable budget then you probably won't need to seek any advice from third parties.

For many people getting others to help with good advice on debt management can result in the elimination of the debt problem a lot sooner.
Trained debt management professionals are dealing with these problems on a daily basis and they also have the knowledge of the various ways you can reduce the interest rates you are paying on your loans and often have business arrangements that can help you to consolidate your debt and pay off your creditors.

If you believe you need some assistance then there are consumer credit counseling agencies that will help you find the right solution. Talk to people you know and ask if any of them can recommend someone to help you.

There are some unscrupulous dealers in the market who are only there to make as much money for themselves but fortunately they are in the minority and you will soon see whether they will be suitable for you after an initial interview by seeing whether they are asking the correct questions and whether they have a specific plan for a budget to set you in the right direction.

Personal recommendations from people you trust will help you decide on the firm you will employ.
Check out their costs in advance and ask as many questions as possible as you won't want to spend money on them in excess of the service they are providing as at the end of the day that will be better spent reducing debt.




Jay Corbett aka "credit repair service guru" offers tools and programs at http://www.howtorepaircreditfast.com to help you enjoy a debt free, proactive credit life.

Article Source: http://articlefree4all.com

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Self Credit Repair - How You Can Do It On Your Own

Self credit repair is basically the only way you can repair your bad credit. No one can do it for you, although they can give you advice. You have to really sit down and take a good look at your credit repair and then decide for yourself how you want to go about tackling the problem. Self credit repair is not that difficult to do, but you do have to make a conscientious effort. Self credit repair works.

There are times when everyone overextends themselves and finds that they are short of money. You may have to postpone paying one bill this month and paying double the next. However, this shows up unfavourably on your credit report and results in a lower credit score. If there are only one or two items of this nature on your credit report, it is not too detrimental, bit if it happens every month, then you really do need to focus on ways of doing self credit repair. Start with your credit report and repair it yourself by taking a good look at your financial situation.

First of all, start your self credit repair by preparing a monthly budget. List all your payments and them your income. You have to include groceries and emergency funds in the list of expenses. If your expenses amount to more than what you are bringing in, then you might need to avail of professional counselling instead of doing the credit report repair yourself. A counsellor will sit down with you and go over the credit report. He/She will offer advice as to what you can do to start repairing your credit.

Debt consolidation is one way you can do self credit repair. You might say you don’t want to take out another loan and have more payments, but once you pay off all the bills, you are left with one monthly payment. More than likely, the amount is less than the total you were paying. Cutting up your credit cards is another means of doing credit report repair yourself. When the temptation to use them is not there, all of your payments go to reducing your debt. Even if you make all your payments on time, it is not a good idea to have your credit report show that you have used all your available credit. However, you can keep one card, just in case an emergency arises while you are in the process of self credit repair.

Self credit repair is the best credit repair, as long as you know what you are doing.

To download a free copy of Peter's Credit Repair book visit Peter's Website [http://www.credit-repair-answers.com/]Credit Repair Answers and find out about [http://www.credit-repair-answers.com/credit-bureaus.html]Credit Bureaus and more, including Credit Repair Services, Free Credit Reports, and Online Credit Repair.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Crump http://EzineArticles.com/?Self-Credit-Repair---How-You-Can-Do-It-On-Your-Own&id=91684

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

A Credit Repair Book - Get One Right Here

A good credit repair book will provide you with many tips and secrets about how to repair your credit and improve your credit score. Credit repair is not an intuitive subject. There is no need to pay for a credit report or pay someone to give you information because you are the only one that can repair your bad credit. A credit repair book is filled with many small things that you can start doing right now to get you well on the way to having a good credit score.

Armed with a good credit repair book, you will learn how to get your free annual credit report. Under the law you are entitled to receive one free report each year from each of the 3 major credit bureaus. A book will also tell you how to read this report to find out what your credit score is. It will give you practical tips to improve your credit score that you can start using right away.

You can order the credit repair book right from our site. Your search for credit repair tips is over because this book has everything you need. Find out the tips to improve your credit score by finding out what a debt consolidation loan can do for you. Creditors look favourably on this type of loan and when you use the money to pay off your bills, the monthly payment you have is usually lower than the others were when combined.

You won’t believe what a difference a good credit score will make when you apply for another loan. One thing that the credit repair book will tell you is that credit repair tips are not a quick fix for bad credit. This means that you won’t see a remarkable difference in your credit score overnight. However, with time you will see that the tips to improve credit score really do work.

If you get the credit repair book right now and get started using the credit repair tips it contains, when you request your free credit report next year, you will be pleasantly surprised. The tips to improve a credit score will show you ways of doing your own credit repair that you probably never even thought of. The credit repair book will give you painless tips to help you get better credit and better interest rates the next time you apply for a loan.

To download a free copy of Peter's Credit Repair book visit Peter's Website http://www.credit-repair-answers.com/] Credit Repair Answers and find out about [ a [http://www.credit-repair-answers.com/credit-bureaus.htmlhttp://www.credit-repair-answers.com/credit-bureaus.html/a]http://www.credit-repair-answers.com/credit-bureaus.html]Credit Bureaus and more, including Credit Repair Services, Free Credit Reports and Online Credit Repair.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Crump http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Credit-Repair-Book---Get-One-Right-Here&id=99876

Monday, December 3, 2007

Credit Score Repair Can Be a Reality

For many people, a high credit score is just a dream. Past issues have left them with items on their credit reports that impact their overall credit score in a negative way. Some people are not aware of the possibility of credit score repair. Help is available.

There are so many things that can cause credit problems. Things as simple as late payments and as devastating as divorce, can lead to bad credit scores. Credit score repair specialists are familiar with all of these things. There is no need to be embarrassed. They have heard it all before.

Credit score repair strategy involves removing items from your credit reports that have a negative impact on your credit score. Information may be outdated, inaccurate or misleading. It is possible to dispute this information alone. But, it is time consuming, frustrating and sometimes ineffectual. Law firms that specialize in credit score repair have different techniques at their disposal. They can often accomplish things that you could not do alone. They are aware of the current laws regarding credit issues. They can make sure that everything is done legally. They know how to word disputes to make the credit bureaus pay attention and respond quickly. Credit score repair is their business and they know their business.

A high credit score can mean the difference between a high interest rate and a low interest rate. People with high credit scores get the best credit card deals, the best mortgage rates, lower insurance premiums, etc. Credit score repair for individuals who have had past credit problems can have these things, too.

There are credit score repair companies which employ credit counselors or advisors, but they may not be nearly as effective as a legal team dedicated to resolving a person’s credit score issues. Many people think that this type of thing is very expensive, but it can be quite affordable. Bad credit is very expensive, costing hundreds of extra dollars per year in interest rates alone.

There are law firms that specialize in credit score repair that will refund a portion of your money if they are not able to achieve results. Policies like this make credit score repair lawyers work extra hard. Legal credit score repair has nothing to do with bankruptcy, though credit score repair strategies may be able to remove items related to bankruptcy more quickly. Declaring bankruptcy is not a credit score repair strategy. Recent laws require that those who are considering bankruptcy receive credit counseling. Non-profit Consumer Credit Counseling Services help with budgeting and goal setting, but do not address credit score repair. In the end, only you and your legal team can make credit score repair a reality, but it can be done.

The writers and editors of the Credit Repair Blog are dedicated to providing accurate credit score repair information. Visit us at http://creditfixnow.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patsy_Rose http://EzineArticles.com/?Credit-Score-Repair-Can-Be-a-Reality&id=206130

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Credit Repair Forums

Most of the people that register at credit repair forums are looking to improve their credit. Improving your credit score can save you thousands of dollars annually in interest alone. If you visit a credit repair forum you will see what real people have accomplished on their own or with the help of a credit repair lawyer. It’s very inspiring!

Information posted at credit repair forums can be interesting, helpful and sometimes amusing. If you are interested in discussing credit repair issues with other people who are also plagued by bad credit, visit a credit repair forum. You will also be able to chat with people who have already begun repairing their credit as well as many experts who have years of experience with credit repair.

A credit repair forum that is worth mentioning is AAACreditGuide.com. They have information on a range of topics including credit repair, mortgages, auto financing, collection agencies, bankruptcy, student loans and money management. They also have a special section just for beginners.

Credit repair forums are a great beginning point for anyone who is interested in credit repair. You will be surprised and how many state and federal laws are in place to protect you as a consumer. At these discussion boards, you can read other people’s experiences and possibly decide which actions may be in your best interest.

If you are new to credit repair, you must be very careful before attempting to repair your credit. Make sure you read everything before jumping into it. Some people end up hurting their credit even worse.

You will also want to make sure you have searched the forum for an answer before asking a question by using the search feature. Chances are someone has already asked that question. However, don’t be afraid to ask questions at the discussion boards, that is what they’re there for!

Learn how you can [http://aaacreditguide.com/rebuild-your-credit/]improve your credit scores at the [http://aaacreditguide.com/forums/]credit repair forum!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chane_Steiner http://EzineArticles.com/?Credit-Repair-Forums&id=667608

Saturday, December 1, 2007

How Do I Get a Free Copy of My Credit Report?

Sometimes even good people can have bad things happen to them that may effect their credit report. Someone with a low credit score will have a hard time finding a lender willing to give them a loan or a credit card. If you do find someone willing to lend you money, you will most likely have a very high interest rate. Many people are left feeling that it is impossible to fix your credit report on your own and wonder; who can help me to fix my bad credit? We have the answer to that question. Yes, there is an answer and help is available to you.

There are many reputable credit repair services to help you improve your credit score, if you have tried unsuccessfully in the past. Most companies will provide you a free credit consultation to let you know that they will be dealing with the task of contacting the credit bureaus, including making phone contact and writing letters to them. They can handle all of the dirty work for you in order to raise your credit score to the highest it can be.

While searching for a credit repair service to assist you, make sure you do your research on each company you are considering. There are many choices of credit repair companies available online to make it even easier for you to choose one, but going with the wrong one can make your credit even worse. Make sure the credit repair company you choose can show you their track record of helping other people.

Now, you are ready to begin your search for your free online credit report service. Congratulations!

Now that you are aware of how your FICO score impacts your finances, you may be wondering "How do I get a [http://freeonlinecreditcheck.googlepages.com/free-online-credit-check]free online credit check? Easy, To learn more about obtaining a free online credit report, visit [http://freeonlinecreditcheck.googlepages.com/]http://freeonlinecreditcheck.googlepages.com/, an excellent resource on credit reports and your credit score. There are dozens of websites that offer totally free credit reports. There are so many, in fact, that it can be a little bit overwhelming when trying to decide which company to choose. Some things to look for when choosing a credit reporting service are: ease of use, customer service and assistance, detail of reports, accuracy of reports, and whether they offer to assist in repairing your credit score.

Get a Free Online Credit Check [http://freeonlinecreditcheck.googlepages.com/free-online-credit-check]Click Here!

Copyright © 2007 - Zach Ford

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zach_Ford http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Do-I-Get-a-Free-Copy-of-My-Credit-Report?&id=748272