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Debt Management for the Future Cleaning Up Past Debt Management Mistakes
Everybody makes mistakes. Mistakes may be one of the few things that every human being on the planet has in common with every other human being on the planet. No matter how well educated we are or how street smart we are, we are all going to make mistakes in our lives. It's a given.
Mistakes in debt management are one of the most common of all the possibilities.
Getting in over your head financially speaking has become so commonplace that an entire industry has emerged to deal with the problem. It really isn't hard to see how and why this happens.
The credit card companies make getting into deep debt easy. Anybody who has a social security number can get a credit card. You fill out an application, of course, but the information on the credit card is not verified. Employment is not verified and other debts are not considered when a credit card is issued. Even dogs (the real kind that have four legs) have been issued credit cards.
The spending limit that is set on a credit card can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars.
Then we are all bombarded with advertisements for goods and services that are very attractive. Our friends have stuff, and our neighbors have stuff, and we want the same stuff. With credit card in hand, we set out to get the stuff, and suddenly there is a mountain of debt.
There are about three options: debt consolidation loan, home equity loan, or bankruptcy. Most people will choose either a debt consolidation loan or a home equity loan in an attempt to clean up past debt management mistakes.
Either works, but unless lessons have been learned well enough that they will not be repeated, the industry can depend on repeat business.
See Also:
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| The Debt Management Trap-Credit Cards Debt Management by Negotiation
Negotiation is an ancient art, but that art is not the kind of negotiation that we are talking about here. You have very likely seen the advertisements by companies claiming that through negotiation they can eliminate you credit card debt by getting the issuing companies to settle for mere pennies on the dollar or what you actually owe them.
These debt negotiation advertisements will sometimes claim that this will not negatively affect your credit score and that you can continue to secure additional credit even while this negotiation process is going on.
Well...not quite. While it is true that debt negotiation is an alternative to declaring bankruptcy, both are last-ditch efforts to resolve financial problems.
If you are considering using a debt negotiation company to help with your own financial difficulties, you would be very wise to do three things before you sign on the dotted line.
1. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) about the company you are considering signing on with. If there have been complaints by other clients, the BBB will have a record of them.
2. Check with the Attorney General of the state in which you reside. You can find out if debt negotiation companies are required to be licensed in your state and if the company you are considering does in fact have a license.
3. Read the fine print. Before you sign an agreement, you need to fully understand what you are agreeing to and what services you will be paying for. FREE in big letters in the advertisement is not necessarily what is written in the fine print on the actual contract that you sign.
Yes, heavy debt is a burden that you want some relief from. But be sure that the relief is the real thing and not something that is only going to cause you more problems in the future. |
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Debt Management Is a Good Thing
| Credit Card Debt Management Debt Management Wiggle Room
Yes! If you are ever going to gain control over your finances, you are going to have to make a budget and learn to live within it. There aren't any other options for successful debt management.
You wouldn't start building anything without plans, would you? Even building a model airplane requires following a plan. Building a house always starts with drawing up the plans for the construction. There is an old saying that applies here: “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Without a financial plan (a budget), you are certain to find yourself in debt up to your eyeballs and no visible way out.
Now, let's discuss the making of a budget. You cannot have every last penny of your net income allotted for providing for necessities and paying installment loans. That will not work. You must leave yourself some wiggle room. Stuff is going to happen. There WILL BE unexpected and unbudgeted expenses every single month. You can bet on it...you had BETTER bet on it.
There will be, without any doubt whatsoever, expenses that you will overlook when making your budget. They may seem like small items that aren't very important, but they have a way of multiplying.
For example: you suddenly realize that the inspection sticker on your car or truck is about to expire. There really isn't much of a choice about getting it renewed, is there? Will the vehicle pass inspection without two new tires? Are those in your budget?
It has been my experience that "miscellaneous" is usually the largest single expense in every workable budget that has ever been created. You need to allow room for unforeseen expenditures. When making your budget, be sure to leave yourself some wiggle room. Do not budget every single penny of your net income. |
Related Topics: Singing the Debt Management Blues,
Free vs Paid Debt Management Services, Singing the Debt Management Blues
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