Category: Editorial

Wasting money is not only detrimental to your overall financial well being, it’s irresponsible. Your house and living expenses make up the major portion of your personal budgeting plan. If you are not careful, they will leave you with little or no money to build financial security, or play with. Just like spending cash unnecessarily, [...]

Bankruptcy is a situation that seems to be hitting more and more people. Although a last resort, filing for bankruptcy is not the end of the world. If it is an option you are considering, it is best to know some bankruptcy facts. Bankruptcy is a way for you to suspend the different debt collections [...]

If you are considering debt consolidation or consumer credit counseling agencies for credit help, start by getting your act together. Organize your finances and do your research. You will begin to learn the skills you need to fix your money problems and avoid getting in this situation again. Your active participation is key in the [...]

The recession ended more than a year ago — in June 2009. It’s all been all over TV news shows and printed in several publications over the last two days. According to a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a private nonprofit research group that is considered the official arbiter of American economics, we [...]

Getting out of debt and staying out of debt is not easy. If you’ve already amassed a fair amount of debt and are thinking it will be impossible to ever get out from under it all, don’t despair, you can learn how to stop incurring new debt and take charge of your life. The first [...]

Debt settlement, also known as debt arbitration, debt negotiation or credit settlement, is an approach to debt reduction in which the debtor and creditor agree on a reduced balance that will be regarded as payment in full. As an alternative to bankruptcy, debt settlement has become a viable option for consumers facing overwhelming unsecured debt. [...]

Maybe it’s time for the government to get out of the way? Ill-considered government intervention in the private economy can have devastating consequences, which may be why Americans have been plagued by a crumbling housing market and record unemployment. After two years, it doesn’t seem as if anything has really gotten better. It can be argued that [...]

Last year, President Barack Obama signed a bill to protect consumers from cheap credit card practices. Now that the law has gone into effect, the new credit card rules limit interest rate hikes, fees, and other maddening aspects of using charge accounts. Many consumer advocates have applauded this as a glorious development, but because lenders [...]

Everyone talks about the importance of setting goals, but how many people really understand the process of effective goal setting? Goal setting is the foundation for both personal and professional growth and should rank high on your priority list, especially when it comes to the area of finances. If you are in debt, ignoring it [...]

Many Americans live their daily lives without a budget, possibly why the average American household is  over $8,000 in credit card debt. People in these difficult financial situations often say that the reason they have fallen upon hard times is because they do not make enough money. More money does not always solve the problem; [...]

Reputable credit counseling organizations advise people on managing money, bills and debts, help them develop a budget, and usually offer information and workshops. They should evaluate your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to get you on the right track. Debt consolidation, debt settlement and credit counseling are often [...]

If you are struggling financially, stop worrying, there are credit counseling and debt management services available to help you consolidate loans. It’s easy to get caught up in negativity and worry about what’s going wrong in your life. What you focus on is what you will attract. Start by acknowledging your blessings. Especially in times of [...]

Many Americans are struggling with out of control credit card debt. As a result, several debt relief options have been introduced to the market including debt consolidation, debt settlement, and credit counseling. The Federal Trade Commission  (FTC) recently passed provisions regulating the credit card debt relief industry, mainly targeting for-profit debt settlement companies. Many of [...]