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Friday, December 12, 2008
First of all, you have hundreds of thousands of Americans who bought homes they had no business buying, and no realistic ability to repay the loans. It's amazing to me that as a people we'd blame a Presidential Administration for what we did. It's disappointing that the savvy members of the community will pay for the mistakes of the careless in the form of expensive bailout plans paid for with tax dollars.
We can never let ourselves get in this situation again, and to avoid it we have to decide as a nation of borrowers that we'll use credit with a lot more care. Often - possibly the majority of the time - using credit with care means not using it at all. If you need extra money, get a part time job; don't borrow.
Why am being so harsh on this issue? Because short term loans (whose term is a few weeks or less) are going to carry awful interest rates almost without exception. Do you like the idea of paying 80% or 90% interest and high fees? Neither do I.
That being said, while signature personal loans are generally an awful financial move, there may be times where you just can't avoid using them. You might experience sudden unemployment when your boss fires you for no apparent reason at all.
Of course that's not fair and technically you could sue him. But do you have the money for a lawsuit? I doubt it.
So what can you do? You're out of a job, your creditors don't care, and the American taxpayers aren't going to bail you out unless your name is AIG or GM. Your only option is to borrow money from friends, family members, or even the loan store on the corner.
The only sound advice I can offer you is to only take from the bank the minimum necessary funds to keep your bills current until you get a new job and get back on your feet. And Don't be choosy when it's time to find that job. In these crazy times, we'd all be wise to take whatever employment presents itself to us.
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Who can really be blamed when this is now the norm in society to have at least one credit card even though it means that eventually, cash will become extinct. The down side to credit cards is many people fail to recognize the care with which they should be used. Of course today more than ever, with the problems we have globally, credit card issuers want to be sure the credit card is actually going to be used by the correct person. For the foreseeable future, citizens in the US will have to be patient as more identity checks are carried out in line with the US Patriotic Act being, which is the main piece of legislation put in place to meet the new security measures These delays are not stopping US citizens from applying for their credit cards; such is the demand for this near cannot-live-without facility.
The number of credit cards that a middle class American citizen will hold can be eight or more. With this number it's not surprising that there are about a hundred thousand credit card applications being processed in a single day. The need for credit cards and debit cards is for real and the market should prepare itself for more credit card applications in the future. Overall, credit card users need to look carefully at what they charge to their accounts and be more responsible because an increasing number of services, especially on the internet are designed to capture credit card users. So whenever you're ready grab a pen and paper and get ready to fill up that credit card application form and be one step closer in the way you buy.
Even if you have been told that you have been chosen to receive a credit card, do not expect to go to the front of the queue as the need for a full and complete application will still be required. Usually this is sent out to a person who the database says is approved at that postal address but you will still need to prove you are that person especially with identity theft so rampant nowadays! Many people nowadays don't even bother filling out paper forms when they can just complete an online form instead.
Hidden fees and charges are something that is common to all credit cards so don't be caught out and check the terms carefully before accepting.
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Building or Rebuilding Your Credit
If you have or have had, bad credit, you need to get a Do-It-Yourself kit and get to work. Take a trip to your local library and check out books that guide you through the process of credit repair. Most libraries have a copy machine you can use to print out forms that you need to fill out and mail to creditors. There are guides at your library that have the necessary tools for debtors to learn how to write effective letters to creditors.
Letters are a much better way to contact a creditor than by mail. Since most creditors care less about your situation and may even make threats to you. A good reason for writing letters is that having "proof", is more valuable if you ever find yourself going to court over credit problems. If something is spoken or an agreement has been reached, this will prevent the creditor from reneging or denying this claim.
Any documentation you have pertaining to your credit history should be stored in a secure area. If you send a letter to your creditor, keep copies of the letters sent and store it along with other important information. If you notice there are errors in your bills or credit, reports ensure you have contacted the appropriate agencies and filed a dispute against the charges in a timely manner. If you have credit cards and made a purchase on an item or used a service and this item is defective or the service is sub par, you DO NOT have to pay the charges.
You have to also dispute this information with the store or the person who provided the service. If the store or person refuses to give you an item to replace the defective one, or reimburse you, then you have a right to deny payment. Once you have disputed this charge, you then need to contact your credit card provider and let them know what happened. If you are fortunate enough to have been issued a credit card even with bad credit, use this card to repay your debts and meet the monthly charges each month on time. This can be a solution when everything else fails. If you have to use a credit card to pay your debts, then payoff your cards the following month and use the card to pay the next months bills....
Now you can see what the plan is. Credit cards have interest rates so that even if you pay the monthly minimum payment, the bills on the card will increase.
Not Having Credit, Can Be No Problem
You may think you do not need a credit line or a credit card. You may pay all your bills on time each month, in cash. Does this sound like you? Well, you know the obvious answer, but then there is an occasional situation that calls for a what if scenario....In the world of today, we are fast approaching a time period that will require us to have at least one major credit card. If you telephone a business to whom you owe debt, they may first ask you if you would like to pay your account with a credit card. If you apply for a job, apartment, student, home or automobile loan, or any type of credit line, you will most likely face getting a rejection letter in the mail. Many lenders will refuse to extend credit to people who do not have a credit history. For this reason we are expected to establish a credit line while we are in our teenage years, and if we do not lenders grow concerned. A lender can refuse to give you credit based upon many reasons. The best solution for you is building a good credit history by starting up a line of credit now, making timely payments, and pay your debts off in a timely manner. Set yourself up on a budget and stay out of steep debt.
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