Should you consider debt counseling, debt settlement, or self-help credit report books? There are advantages and disadvantages to all of these options and the best way to decide which one would be best is to evaluate yourself and your total debt situation. By being totally and completely honest about your situation and whether you are ready to take a self directed or directed approach, you can make the best decision for you.

Your first step is to sit down and evaluate all of your current, past due, and delinquent accounts, how much percent and penalties you are paying for each, etc. Then, understand what each option entails and figure out which option is best.

Debt Counseling

Debt counseling is when you work with someone who is knowledgeable about finance (specifically budgeting and debt reduction). They may have even experienced debt problems in the past and gotten themselves out of debt. His or her expertise will give some invaluable insight on how to settle or pay down your outstanding bills with various payoff methods. This process will not erase your debt but will teach you how to budget your money so you can afford to pay off your debts over a period of time. This method is best for someone that doesn’t have much confidence in the self-directed approach and needs accountability and guidance.

Debt Settlement

Debt settlement or debt negotiation is when you or someone you hire, works with your existing creditors to settle your debt for less than you owe. This option is typically only available for individuals who are already delinquent on their payments as their creditors are more likely to settle the debts so that they can recoup some of their losses. Keep in mind that the fees collected from debt settlement attorneys can be extremely high – as much as 15%.  In addition, your credit rating will likely receive a ding as a result of debt settlement. Plus, not all states allow for debt settlement, and you cannot use this option for secured debts like auto loans. This method is best for someone that doesn’t care as much about a lower credit rating but just needs help paying down debt. Although one could take the self-directed approach, it may be better to work with a professional that is versed in negotiation to receive the real benefits. If you do, just be prepared to pay extra.

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Self-Help Credit Report Books

Self-help credit report repair books are guide books purchased to teach yourself how to get out of debt. The cool thing is that there are quite a lot of self-help credit books that are available for a small one-time fee. Popular authors include Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey. In these books, they teach you step-by-step how to get out of debt. However, you will have to input the ideas and really take action if you want to get out of debt using self-help credit reports and books. This method is really good for someone who is drowning in despair, debt, and constant hounding of creditors. Someone with commitment and someone that can take action all by themselves.In conclusion, determining which method is best for you, is really a personal decision. By carefully evaluating your options and then taking immediate action – you too can get yourself out of debt, whether alone or with the help of a specialist. Good luck to you!

For individuals with no credit or those who have experienced a negative credit event like divorce or foreclosure, establishing credit history can be a real challenge. Without proper credit, everything from a car loan to an apartment or even a job can be denied.

When faced with problem credit, many people rely on prepaid cards to manage their daily expenses. However, prepaid cards simply provide access to your own money, not credit from a lender. These cards do not report to credit bureaus and do not help re-establish credit history. People need to demonstrate on-time monthly payments on a credit card in order to rebuild that important credit history.

So how can someone who cannot get a credit card rebuild their credit?

The Public Savings Bank Secured Visa offers people with low credit or no credit the opportunity to re-establish their credit history and work towards improving their credit score. Individuals make a deposit into an FDIC-insured account that acts as a security deposit. They can then make purchases anywhere Visa is accepted or take cash advances up to the deposited credit line amount, currently between $300-$2000. Payments are reported to all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax) so customers can begin to establish credit immediately.

The Public Savings Bank Secured Visa does not require a credit check or even a checking account to apply. Customers can fund their account via Western Union, ACH, wire transfer, check or money order. The card has no annual or monthly fees, and offers 0% APR for 6 months. Rush shipping is available so customers can begin using their card just days after funding their account.

Building good credit is critical at a time when credit is getting harder to obtain. This card allows the customer to build good credit while enjoying all the benefits of a Visa card at very favorable terms.

Prospective cardholders can apply at www.publicbankcard.com and be approved within a few hours.

A recent headline caught my attention and inspired this train of thought.  It read something like Toilet Paper Drives the Economy.  The gist of the article was

A shift from one-ply to two-ply (and now three-ply) may not seem significant. But to ignore it is to miss an important point: Because people are literally flushing the money they spend on these products down the toilet, spending habits in this very personal area can reveal important clues about the financial health of shoppers. And that reflects on the growth potential for the economy and the stock market as a whole. It all depends on how the roll turns, and it’s definitely turning.

I had to stop and think about that one because just that morning we had picked up a giant package of Cottonelle Ultra.    So does my purchase indicate that I have faith in the upturn of the economy or that I just want to spoil myself with softness in private while preaching penny pinching in public? Guilty as charged!

Money is tight and everyone in the family has to cut back but what can you do with the kids this summer when summer camp is is out of the question.  Don’t dispare.  Create your own backyard or rooftop camping experience this year.

Lacking inspiration? There are all kinds of great resources out there for you to draw from.

Here’s just a few:

5 Camp Ideas for Children

The Best Summer Camp Activities

Summer Activities for Families

By: Sean Lebida

Let’s face it, money is tight for just about everybody right now. The rising cost of living is causing all of us to take a step back and find ways to make our hard-earned cash go as far as possible. Many of us are buying more energy-efficient appliances, finding alternative ways of heating and cooling our houses, and looking into hybrid cars or smart cars as a way to possibly lower our gas budget. Unfortunately, this often involves a large initial expense. The truth is that older vehicles as well as new ones have the potential to be much more fuel efficient with the proper maintenance.

Most vehicle or equipment owners know the basics of vehicle maintenance. Keeping up with the maintenance needs of each vehicle will increase the longevity of the vehicle/equipment. Regular maintenance usually consists of changing engine oil, properly inflating tires, and changing the air filter. Most of us, however, have looked past the actual fuel that we are filling the fuel tanks with, and trusting that fuel companies are providing the best fuel mixture for our vehicles’ engines.

The fact is that the quality of fuel for our vehicles could be greatly improved upon. Simply put, over time, even in newer vehicles, fuel remnants build up in the engine and water and sludge can build up in the fuel system, causing the fuel economy to go down. Just like with every other aspect of a vehicle, the fuel system and engine components need regular maintenance.

The best way I have found to keep my engines and fuel systems operating at their highest potential year-round is by using Mileage Maxx Mileage Booster. I have actually found that by using this product at every fill up, I have increased my miles per gallon by 10%. Mileage Maxx additive consists of a hydrocarbon enhancer that increases the efficiency of the fuel burn. It also contains an added lubricant that decreases the friction in the engine parts, as well as a detergent that cleans out the fuel system. I have found that my vehicles run much more smoothly and efficiently with this product. Also, I would like to point out that Mileage Maxx more than pays for itself, and it is inexpensive and easy to use.

If you would like to find out more about Mileage Maxx and the studies that prove it does what I have said it does, you can check it out here:

Main Fuel Saver
Mileage Maxx

Sean Lebida has been in the Construction-Building industry for the past 15 years. Lebida is a contributing author for the above sites and distributor of Mileage Maxx because he knows how important it is to cut costs and maintain productivity. Time is money. He is a proud user of Mileage and all his business vehicles use it.