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"The accursed power which stands on Privilege (And goes with Women, and Champagne, and Bridge) Broke - and Democracy resumed her reign: (Which goes with Bridge, and Women and Champagne)."

Hilaire Belloc



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Featured Credit Articles

Buy A Car With Bad Credit - When Is The Right Time To Purchase A Car?
If you are thinking about purchasing a new car with bad credit, timing is important. Sadly, millions of people are living with bad credit. Unfortunately, it takes time to improve or boost credit rating. Still, if you need to buy a new car, there are ...

Choosing To Apply For A 0% Intro Rate Credit Card
If you're of age and with a permanent source of income, maybe it's time to own a credit card. If you haven't ever considered owning a credit card, maybe it's time to do so. There are a lot of good things that could be made possible simply by owning a ...

Steven and the Credit Collection Agency Grinch
Why you should beware the credit collection agency bearing gifts. Many years ago I graduated from college with Steven. We weren't really close but have managed to keep in touch. Steven did extremely well through the hi-flying eighties. However the ...




Partners For Life: Credit Card Bills And Debt Consolidation
 
Meet the Batman – Robin tandem of the 21st century. Or the New Mr. and Mrs. Tom Cruise. Or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie if and when they 'fess up. Today, thanks to inflation, terrorist threats, the euro going up and the dollar going down, citizens of the United States of America realize in horror that they are just a statistic in a financial report. Their horrific situation is utterly ordinary. They're broke. And what do the government have to say? Get over it and go back to work.

So that's where debt consolidation comes along. The credit card is an amazing thing because it lets you spend so much. Actually, it lets you spend money that you don't really have. But in the end, well that's when it gets tricky. Credit card bills start knocking on your door and you find yourself wondering if you really spent all that or was it your alter ego holding the credit card in a trip to Macy's. But of course it was you. And since borrowing more from your bank is totally out of the question, you have to take the next option available and that could be debt consolidation.

Debt consolidation is where you gather all your bills together, credit card bills especially because they're somehow more harrowing than the others, grab a calculator and add them all up. When you're done, you present this to the representative of a debt consolidation company and see how he or she works out everything.

Now, don't start thinking that debt consolidation is like a modern fairy godmother out to make your credit card bills disappear in one big poof. Sorry, folks but this is reality and things don't work out quite that way. Sadly, your credit card bills would remain visible and concrete, proof that you owe loads of money to several financial institutions. And that's when the debt consolidation rep you're talking to comes in. First, she'll ask you your budget and just how much you can afford right now. Debt consolidation companies have to know about their clients' financial history to be able to negotiate more competently with their clients' creditors. They have to know how much you're earning, how many credit cards you have, what loans and bills are there to be paid off etc. When that's done, these debt consolidation companies then approach the people behind the bills: the creditors, in other words. They talk to the managers behind that credit card bill staring at you so accusingly from your office desk. They ask if it's possible to give you some more leeway so you have an opportunity to continue paying them. If you go bankrupt, neither would win. Debt consolidation representatives can make the interest rates of your credit card bills lower, the monthly payments decrease, the payoff time shorten and so on.

The important thing to know before choosing this particular tandem approach however is being sure that you can really work things out this way. If you feel that using debt consolidation to pay off your debts, like credit card bills, is just like papering cracks on the walls then don't do it. You'll simply be worse off. Debt consolidation, like most things, requires determination, self-control and dedication. And if you are incapable of any of those qualities then my advice is to find another solution.






Credit News


The Balance Transfers Blog (blog)

New credit cards may ease travel
Chicago Tribune
The three newest consumer credit cards — two from Bank of America, one from JPMorgan Chase — reflect consumer exasperation with some of the current card "features" that may not look so good to savvy travelers. All three have some advantages that many ...
Credit card balance transfers can help you tackle debt, but be disciplinedHamilton Spectator
Credit Cards with Rewards ExplainedMK News
Best Travel Reward & Airline Credit Card Offers of May 2012The Balance Transfers Blog (blog)
asap News -Business Insider -San Jose Mercury News
all 16 news articles »

CREDIT MARKETS: Treasurys See Comeback; Other Bonds Rebound
Wall Street Journal
Before Friday, the index had fallen 13% since April and nearly 20% from mid-March, according to Credit Suisse. On Friday, Deutsche Bank analyst Harris Trifon recommended investors take an overweight position in "AJ" debt to capitalize on the price drop ...

and more »

USA TODAY

Credit card perks could cut vacation costs
USA TODAY
Pour yourself a cup of strong coffee and read your credit card agreement. While most cardholders are aware of their card's airline miles and cash-back rewards, many are unaware that their credit card offers lots of other money-saving perks.
Stay at Home Moms Face Credit Card ChallengesForbes
Five Common Credit Report Mistakes College Students Should AvoidFox Business
Holly McCall, Stay-at-Home Mom, Challenges Credit Card Rules, But Questions ...Huffington Post
Daily Caller -Patch.com -Scoop.co.nz (press release)
all 11 news articles »

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Al-Qaida claims credit for horrific attack in Yemen
Minneapolis Star Tribune
More than 90 people were killed in the suicide attack at a parade rehearsal in the capital. Most were soldiers. A solider injured in the suicide bombing Monday was treated at a hospital in Sanaa. He was one of hundreds injured in the Al-Qaida attack.
Al Qaeda Claims Credit for Massive Suicide Attack in YemenThe Atlantic Wire
Foreign Office minister condemns 'cowardly' Yemen bombingsITV News

all 1,958 news articles »

Justice Department Probe of Credit Swaps Said to Widen
BusinessWeek
By Matthew Leising and Jeff Bliss on May 21, 2012 A US Justice Department antitrust investigation into data provider Markit Group Ltd. is expanding to include other companies in the credit-default swap market, according to three people familiar with ...

and more »