What’s the Truth About American’s Credit Card Debt

Posted by Layla Vanderbilt | Investing | Sunday 31 January 2010 10:07 am

Many sources, including the government, the media, and even bank officials, have claimed that the American people have a lot of credit card debt. There are many rumors going around saying that Americans owe thousands of dollars each in credit card debt. They usually will give statistics with their claims to help back the claims up. However the truth about Americans credit card debt is often skewed and hidden. The only way to see the truth is to break down the numbers.

You may have heard the statistic that the average American has more than $8,000 in credit card debt. While this statistic is true, it only holds true if you’re considering every American in the country. Most statistics don’t include every American, only those that have credit cards. Thus our image of the average American family with a house and kids is skewed as not all of these “average” Americans have credit card debt. The problem is when they mention the word average in their statistics we are lead to believe that it’s this type of family that we often think of when in fact they actually use the mean of the people who have credit card debt.

The truth is that 1 in 20 American households actually have more than $8,000 in credit card debt. This is because many families don’t even have credit cards. Another huge chunk of American families pay off their credit cards as soon as they get the bill and thus don’t even owe anything to the credit card companies even though they have credit cards. Out of the remaining families only a very few owe $2,000 or more in credit card debt. Thus you can see that the “average American household” number is deceiving.

You may be curious why this is. In reality it’s very simple. It’s due to how they came up with their number for the average American’s debt. They took the outstanding credit card debt that is owed which is $750 billion and divided it by the number of American households that have a minimum of 1 credit card. This is approximately 84 million households. Thus they arrived at $8,000 per household.

An astounding 23.8% of American households don’t even have credit cards! These households weren’t included in the calculation since they don’t have credit cards. Another 31.2% of Americans pay off their cards as soon as they get the bill. This totals to an astounding 55% of American households that have no credit card debt.

Out of the 45% 29% have $1,000 or more in credit card debt, 21% of households owe $2000 or more, 4% owe $10,000 or more, and 1% owe $21,000 or more. These numbers show that 26% of the American people carry all of the debt that is owed for debt that is $2,000 or more. American households owe very little to credit card companies. Most of the households that due have credit card debt have less than $1,000. The truth is that most of the American people are not in credit card debt and nowhere near the rumored numbers.

Layla Vanderbilt is the webmaster for a leading website that offers for debt consolidation advice and guidance.

Why Credit Repair is Significant – 3 Reasons Stated

Posted by Rebecca Johnson | Money Management | Wednesday 16 December 2009 11:44 am

Who doesn’t need loan nowadays? Almost everybody does. May it be a corporate executive or simple employee, time will come they will need to apply for one. However, the real question is, can you get the loan you want in the soonest time possible with an interest rate that would be advantageous to you?

Unluckily, the answer is NO…until today.

Because of the economical downfall, creditors have been tightening the belt. That’s why people are having a hard time having their loans approved.

Have you heard of credit repair? Why do many people seek credit repair?

Discover The “Repair” Stigma

You don’t need to be bankrupt to improve your credit score using credit repair strategies. A few years ago, most Americans were unaware and did not fully understand the results late payments could produce. But today, I know you might have an idea. Way back then, you could have almost any loan you desire without giving a down payment. That’s one reason most people got a little over their head in debts.

On the other hand, some people are responsible enough to make their payments on time. You may be one of them.Yet there are times you haven’t paid your accounts on their due dates. You might be on a tight budget at that time, or there was a family emergency. No matter what the situation, all of us would like a little boost in our score.

The Credit Bureaus are keeping track of your credit score. These companies don’t ask why you made a late payment, or give you a helping hand. All they do is give all the details they have about you. It’s their responsibility.

Having a bad credit history can be a problem. You might not see it now, but you will in due time. And when the time comes, you’ll want to repair your credit as soon as possible. That’s where credit repair comes into play.

This procedure may take some time, yet if you go about it earlier you’ll open greater opportunities in the future. Let me give you 3 excellent facts why credit repair is important in your life.

1. It guarantees a good job.

Nowadays, it’s truly hard to get a fine job. A job which can support you and your family. What if you get the opportunity to work for a BIG company as a Manager? Multi-million companies want someone who is reliable and responsible. Some of them will research your employment history, and even pull a credit report to see if you are undoubtedly the dependable person they are looking for.

While you might wonder that it won’t matter to them, it’s really the vice versa. When they see that you have late payments, they will assume that you are not responsible enough to settle your obligations. That’s a BIG MINUS for you. Some of these companies won’t even concern hearing your explanation.

So having a good credit report gives the impression that you are someone who can manage responsibilities, budget correctly, and is competent.

2. Creditors will give you a better deal by giving your loan a low interest rate.

When you have build a good credit history, you qualify for low interests for your loans. Think saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars on interests alone. With bad credit report, you may not even be fortunate enough to have your loan application approved. And if you are approved at all, expensive interest rates will only bury you deeper in obligation.

3. You can easily have a loan anytime.

Credit companies will be attach to you like bees on honey. You’ll receive the best deals, best discounts and, consider giving you what you deserve. You’ll enjoy all these benefits because of 1 reason, a high credit score! You’ll be approved quickly, knowing your records say that you settle payments on time.

So there you go. Credit Repair is not something you seek because you want to recover from a bad credit. It will also help you rebuild your credit history and increase your score. The Credit Repair Blueprint will give you the actual guideline to take control of your finances and boost your credit score the soonest time possible!

Are you ready to learn “hot”, new information about repairing your credit and increase your credit score fast? Then check this out: the best techniques awaits you: the ultimate credit repair gudie!

Helping Business Owners Understand Loan Consolidation

Posted by Layla Vanderbilt | Investing | Monday 14 December 2009 1:55 pm

When you are a small business owner you must learn the importance of getting a loan consolidation. For the first few years you run your business you must be particularly careful with your finances. It is likely that you will go into debt at some time and have to get some type of loan consolidation. They will help you better manage your debt so they are reduced to one monthly payment. If you learn about loan consolidation you might be able to save your business from struggling in the future.

Before you ask for loan consolidation, you should make sure all of your finances are organized. Sometimes this can be very difficult, especially if you have no experience in a business setting. To help you get a good deal on a loan, and the one that’s best for you, make sure you have a statement that verifies your businesses income, its expenses, and all of your debt. Your debt statement should also include the interest rates that you are paying. By looking at these your lender will be able to figure out the best course of action for you.

Many banks offer business consolidation loans for small businesses. You should go to the local branch of your bank and speak with a loan officer there. Many times a loan officer will be able to help you find a consolidation loan. Each financial company has certain criteria that you will need to meet to be able to get your loan. Although the loan officer may not be able to tell you what that criteria is, he may be able to give you some general rules of thumb that the bank goes by. If you’re considering getting a consolidation loan with the bank then you’ll need to fill out an application while you’re there. Before you fill out the application you should ask what the interest rate ranges are for the loan and the term length ranges.

Sometimes nonprofit organizations provide ways for small business owners to obtain consolidation loans. The Small Business Administration is one such organization, and they are able to help you with many aspects of running your business. By searching online you may be able to find other organizations and companies that can offer you help.

If you want to make an impression on the lender or banker giving you loan consolidation, include a project payment plan and financial statement in with your application. You should also make sure that you get the paperwork filled out and turned in on time; since many of these loan applications have deadlines you must meet. Make sure that you include any other paperwork that should be turned in with your application.

Sometimes the easiest and best way to settle business debt is by getting a business credit card. Depending on what you are able to get approved for, you may find cards that offer 0% interest rate for a few months. If you feel you will be able to pay off the debt with the card before the interest rates go up, you can work your way around paying extra fees for consulting a loan service. Take some time to look around for as many options as possible before settling with a company you are comfortable with.

Layla Vanderbilt is the webmaster for a leading website that offers for bad debt consolidation advice and guidance.

What Are Home Owners Rights during Foreclosure

Posted by Doc Schmyz | Real estate | Saturday 12 December 2009 10:44 am

Home foreclosure is one of the greatest fears of families due to debt. Even though this is true we often take our bills for granted in favor of our credit cards. Before we know it bills have easily stacked up and we end up not knowing who to pay first to stop the calls, and the current economy is not making this situation any easier.

Even though your house is being foreclosed there are still legal procedures to follow. Your lender can’t just kick you out of the house. There are laws that protect homeowners from these situations. Here are some of the important facts you need to know when facing a foreclosure.

If I fail to pay my mortgage can I get kicked out of my house?

In short: No. The only time you can be removed from your house is with a court order…and that means that you must follow legal procedures.

How long does the foreclosure take before they take my house?

That will depend on how your mortgage lender pursues the case. The usual time is 6 months but that may also vary from state to state.

After the foreclosure, do I have to leave the house?

No you don’t have to. After the foreclosure auction ends the ownership will be transferred from you to the highest bidder. You will become a tenant of the house. The new owner must also follow legal procedures before he or she can evict you out of the house.

In some cases you can become just a “renter” to the new owner. (this is dependent on the new owner of course)

What happens when I get evicted?

The new owner of the house will send you a notice to leave the premises. (The notice usually gives you 72 hours.) If you fail to follow the notice the new owner must present his case to the court before a judge to get an order for you to be evicted. The judge will be the one to decide if you should be evicted or grant you more time. If you fail to follow the court order the new owner may procure an execution of the eviction order. this is when the sheriff shows up and escorts you from the property.

The sheriff will give you a notice of the execution and give you 48 hours to pack and leave. If you fail to follow the notice this is the time when the sheriff can physically move you out of the premises.

Doc Schmyz has worked with investors all over the US. He owns a free website that shares Real estate investing information for all over the US. Find real estate information by state

A Few Thoughts About Christian Debt Consolidation

Posted by Imus Jackson | Money Management | Saturday 12 December 2009 9:02 am

The great majority of us have a goodly amount of debt today, and some of us have gotten to the point where we need help just paying the bills and straightening out the mess we’ve created because we have not managed our money the right way. Unfortunately, there are a lot of businesses that have sprung up all around the country that tout methods of getting you out of debt, and keeping you out; and I was particularly interested in the ones that claim to be a religious based operation and advertised themselves as Christian debt consolidation businesses.

To me that seems like a ploy just to get your business. How much can a religious based business differ from one that is not? They both would use the basic premise of debt consolidation and restructuring with budgets set up for the future to keep you out of further trouble, and negotiations with your creditors. The ones that offer Christian debt consolidation must have some kind of an ace up their sleeve.

We are surrounded with corruption in our every day lives, from the White House on down through all the levels of government, to the average business man on the street. So what’s to say that a business is on the up and up, just because it claims to be a Christian debt consolidation service. Does that make them more honest? Or is it just a hook to get the average Joe Blow with debt problems to come in the door because he thinks he’ll get a fairer deal than with any of the thousands of other debt services that there are out there.

But, there is the flip side of that same coin. Suppose the operation was run by someone who was using the religious angle to get business in under that very idea, and duping people into thinking that their interests were at his heart, and that they would be safe in dealing with him. It’s hard to tell the shysters from the good guys, and how do you make the decision whom to go with, when both guys are playing the same card as a Christian debt consolidation service.

And in doing your due diligence about these so called Christian debt consolidation services; make sure to check with the Better Business Bureau and see if any negative comments or complaints about the business have been posted with them. But, don’t use the BBB as an all or nothing source; make sure you talk with friends or other folks you know of that have used the services themselves and what they thought of the way they were treated and what kind of results did they have. I myself have checked out many a business before using them with the BBB, and although most were okay; there was a couple of instances where I was still burned by the business even thought the BBB had no indication there was anything wrong—-so be aware.

Remember, just because a business says they are based on religious principles, like some of the Christian debt consolidation services do; does not mean that they practice them on a daily basis. Some use them as a marketing trick to make you think they are more trustworthy than the next guy, solely to get you to walk in the door and get your business. Be careful when choosing a service for whom you are going to bare your financial soul, and make sure they are what they say they are before you deal with them.

The days of when a handshake sealed a deal and put the word of the folks involved on trial, are long gone; and in their place are thousands of shysters and double talkers and amoral people who would take you to the cleaners as soon as look at you—–so the advice here is to beware. The world is not a hospitable place anymore, and there are so many people looking for ways to dupe others and make a quick buck, that before you do business with any service, make sure you check them out thoroughly. Remember, just because they say they are a Christian debt consolidation service doesn’t necessarily mean they practice what they preach; and it is up to you to make sure you are dealing with a service that means what they say.

Imus Jackson creates and discusses articles on such issues as get out of debt free. For more information on get out of debt tips visit our site.

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