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Debt Management and Health Debt Management Agreements: The Pitfalls
Credit counseling is not a very well-regulated industry today. In the past, credit counseling was operated more like a social service rather than as a business designed to make a profit.
The industry was known by the general term CCCS (Consumer Credit Counseling Service) and operated under the general guidelines of the NFCC (National Foundation for Credit Counseling).
The lay of the credit counseling landscape has changed. As more and more consumers find themselves deeper and deeper in unsecured debt (think credit cards), more and more for profit credit counseling services have sprung up. Some of these services are very good and very fair, but be aware that not all of them are.
Some credit counseling services are good, others are bad, and then there are those that are just evil.
1. The debt management service that you choose should be a member of the BBB (Better Business Bureau). You can check with the BBB to see if the company has a good record and if there have been any complaints filed by others. Membership in the NFCC (National Foundation for Credit Counseling) or AICCA (Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies) is also acceptable.
2. If the debt management service promises you that it will take 20 minutes or less to solve all the financial problems, you need to run as fast as you can. They are referring to THEIR financial problems and not yours. It takes time and effort by a debt management service to help with your financial problems and get you the best deals possible.
3. Be certain that the debt management company can help with all of your unsecured debt and don't just deal with a few companies. Half a fix is often worse than no fix at all.
See Also:
Credit / Debt Management - Credit Repair Improve Credit Score and Pay Off Debt
| Debt Management and Credit Cards Debt Management and Health
There aren't many things in life more stressful than having bills due that you cannot pay, a mail box full of second, third, and final notices, and bill collectors calling day and night.
Stress itself is a health issue and can also cause many other health issues. Financial health has a direct connection to physical and emotional health. Financial problems lead to relationship problems which lead to emotional, mental, and physical health problems. Controlling your financial life is important not just from a financial standpoint, but from the relationship and health standpoints, as well.
Of course, I am not suggesting that you can avoid every health problem, all stress, or that your relationships will flourish if you just stay in control and manage your debt well. I am saying that you can avoid a lot of unnecessary grief by making a plan and managing your debt in order to prevent stress and all of the problems that stress can and does cause.
Make a plan -- think budget. Take control of your financial situation. A written plan takes the pressure off. You don't have to remember things. You simply use your budget and your financial plan.
Pay your bills on time and in full each and every month. When you conduct your financial life in a well-planned and responsible manner, you will find that other areas of your life become better organized and better functioning as well.
It isn't easy to take control in midstream, so to speak, but it can be done. The first step to relieving some stress in your life is to find a budget form on the Internet or in a brick-and-mortar store. Follow the directions that will be provided.
As you take control, you will relieve your stress and improve your physical, mental, and emotional health as well as your financial health. |
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| Debt Management Makes a Comeback Debt Management: Getting the Priorities Straight
Using half your paycheck to buy lottery tickets in hopes of winning millions instantly is not a satisfactory debt management plan. Successful debt management is based upon truth, reality, and keeping your priorities straight.
The necessities of life must come first when you make your debt management plan. You need food, shelter, utilities, transportation, and clothing....and pretty much in that order. After the total cost of these necessities is subtracted from your bring home pay, what's left is your disposable income.
How much you spend on each of these necessities will determine the total cost of your necessities. When you cut the cost of any of the necessities, you will have more disposable income and when you add to the cost of the necessities, you will have less disposable income.
My daddy summed it up pretty well for me. He said, “The less you spend on what you have to have, the more you will have to spend on what you want to have.”
You have to make your own choices, of course, but here are just a few ideas that might help:
1. Food: It costs less to eat at home than it does to eat out.
2. Shelter: Less space costs less money....usually.
3. Utilities: Raise the thermostat by two degrees in the summer and lower it by two degrees in the winter. Turn off lights when you leave a room. Don't leave water running.
4. Transportation: A five-year-old car will take you to the same places that a new car will take you.
5. Clothing: Clothes purchased at discount stores costs less than clothing purchased at upscale clothiers.
Debt management is all about getting your priorities straight and making choices. Priorities are nonnegotiable, but how much you spend on them is negotiable. |
Related Topics: Debt Management through Bankruptcy,
Debt Management Debt Collectors, Getting Control of Debt Management
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