If you are struggling against many debts, then you know how nerve-racking it can be. But, there is nothing to feel scared of, as you can help yourself with a debt consolidation loan. Really, a debt consolidation loan can help you reduce financial stress and by the time, it will help you get all your finances back in order.

Actually, the major problem with many debts is that every time you try to make sure that you do not miss any single payments. If anyhow, you miss a single payment, then it would cause worries in your life. Once you opt for a debt consolidation loan, then you can easily merge all those monthly payments into one big monthly payment. Actually, debt consolidation loan helps you pay off all the outstanding debts whether small or high ones. As per your financial situation, you can opt for secured or unsecured debt consolidation loan. Your credit score and level of debt would determine your preferences.

If you cannot offer security or collateral against the loan, then you can easily opt for unsecured debt consolidation loan. After getting the loan amount, you can pay off all your outstanding loans. This loan option can be the best choice, as you do not need to risk anything against the loan amount. Well, if you are capable to offer security, then you can opt for the debt consolidation loan, which comes with collateral. This loan option would allow you procure a big loan amount. Both loan options can be the right loan solutions as per your financial capability and circumstances.

Since there are numerous lenders in the UK loan market, therefore, it can be quite a task to choose the right lender and the right deal. Before applying for a debt consolidation loan, the borrower should calculate the interest rates, monthly payments and other parameters to avoid any sort problem in future. If you are not good at finance or you just cannot do the calculation by yourself. Then, you can take the service of someone who is expert in finance. With his help you would be able to make the right choice.

For months, we were trigger-swipe happy, putting our groceries,
clothes, holidays and service charges on our credit cards.
We wanted mortgages, we took out loans, we watched Property
Ladder and What Not To Wear. Whether you were born middle
class, had middle class aspirations, you became middle class
through your spending. Debt united people around the UK, we
sympathised with each other on what we couldn’t afford – but
it didn’t matter, we still bought it. Soon everybody had a
bottle of Jacob’s Creek in their kitchen and olives and humous
in the fridge.

Yet, it would seem as if a debt conscience is setting in.
This morning, The Guardian printed a story based on the fact
that Nationwide had reported a 0.2% decrease in the average
house price, whilst the Times reported on a statement from
the Bank of England, showing that credit-card borrowing was
at its slowest rate for more than four years, with mortgage
lending also very static.

According to the latest Department of Trade and Industry
Survey, 5% of individuals reported finding their household’s
debt repayments a “heavy burden” and 4% of individuals are
currently behind in payments for at least one credit commitment
or domestic bill over the past three months.

According to Credit Action, in December 2004, 1.2 million
electricity and 1 million gas domestic customers were behind
in repaying their debts to their supplier. Additionally 20%
of people say that they often neglect checking their bank
balance because “they are too scared to find out how much
money they have”, according to Lloyds TSB.

Credit Action also reported that the number of people searching
for help to manage their debts had almost doubled in May in
2005, compared to figures in May 2004 and a survey from Relate
revealed that 44% of couples find money to be a contentious
issue in their relationship and a quarter of people in debt
are receiving treatment for stress, depression and anxiety
from their GP.

It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom however. If you’re
lucky enough to have no outstanding debt, you can keep you
finances in shape by exploiting the services of sites such
as moneynet, which provide financial product price comparison
information and extensive consumer information guides. If you
have any outstanding debts, you can seek advice from the
Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) or Citizens’ Advice
and financial comparison sites like lowermybills and moneynet
also provide detailed research on debt consolidation loans
and debt management.

Although the tide of bankruptcies receded after the new bankruptcy law went into effect on October 17, 2005, a swelling volume of new personal bankruptcy filings are starting to flow into the court systems. With consumer credit card debt now over $820 billion and 97 percent of consumers seeking pre-bankruptcy credit counseling unable to repay their debts, analysts should not be surprised to see bankruptcy numbers steadily climbing.

In the wake of these developments, debt settlement is becoming a popular bankruptcy alternative for consumers experiencing financial hardships. This trend will likely continue as the economy continues to suffer from sluggish growth, stagnant personal income, a persistent negative personal savings rate and rising gas and energy prices. In tough times, debt settlement often provides the fastest resolution to overwhelming debt outside of bankruptcy.

As debt settlement’s popularity grows, so do the number of companies offering professional debt settlement programs. These companies offer a valuable service to consumers, especially those who do not have the patience or emotional strength to negotiate directly with aggressive and sometimes intimidating creditors and debt collectors. However, with the right information, you can negotiate your own debt settlements and be debt-free in about two to three years.

Here are twelve benefits to demonstrate the value of the do-it-yourself debt settlement method.

1. Low investment. Do-it-yourself debt settlement guides are much less expensive than the service fees charged by professional debt settlement companies. For example, the popular “Do-It-Yourself Debt Settlement Kit,” published by the National Financial Awareness Network, costs only about $150 and is available for purchase online at www.nfan.com.

2. High return. If you were able to settle one $6000 account for 50 percent (which is a typical settlement amount), you would save $3000. That is a 200 percent return on your $150.

3. Save money. Hiring a professional debt settlement company will likely cost you thousands of dollars in service fees, compared to about $150 for a do-it-yourself debt settlement kit.

4. Know thyself. Who do you trust more than yourself with your money? Handing your personal, sensitive financial dealings over to a complete stranger can be unnerving, especially if it is unnecessary.

5. You are your best client. Professional debt settlement companies often service thousands of clients. It is nearly impossible for anyone else to provide the level of service and attention that you can provide to yourself.

6. Stay in the know. By managing your own debt settlement program, you will always know what is going on with your accounts. How can you keep yourself in the dark?

7. Record keeping. As a do-it-yourselfer, you only have your records to keep up with. Professional debt settlement companies often have thousands of clients and each client has multiple accounts to keep up with.

8. Privacy. By doing your own debt settlement, you keep your personal business to yourself. You also alleviate the potential for the third-party debt settlement company misplacing your personal, sensitive information or a disgruntled employee stealing your information and committing fraud in your name – making you an identity theft victim.

9. Flexibility. Handling your own settlement savings plan means that you can quickly make adjustments when needed. If you have to go through a third party, they may require several says advanced notice, which can place additional hardships on your in emergency situations.

10. State regulations. Some states have very restrictive regulations for companies that provide debt services. For some consumers, they cannot enroll in many professional debt settlement programs because their state’s regulations have taken that option away from them. However, there is no law against negotiating directly with your creditors. In fact, creditors often send automatic settlement offers to customers who fall behind in paying their bills.

11. No debt too small. For business purposes, many professional debt settlement companies will only enroll applicants with $10,000 or more in total unsecured debt (like credit card and medical debt) and each credit account balance must be at least $500 or $1000, depending on the company. Of course, these numbers vary, but the point is that you do not need to have tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt to settle your own debts.

12. A better you. Going through any debt resolution process is a learning experience. If you pay attention and stay on top of your program, you will learn a lot about personal finance, budgeting, prioritizing and how the credit and debt collection systems work. You will also be less likely to fall into the same debt traps as before because of the unpleasant experiences you had while struggling to resolve your debts.

While the benefits of the do-it-yourself approach are plentiful, there are occasions when you may need or want professional help. Thoroughly investigate several debt settlement companies before enrolling in a program. Check with their local Better Business Bureau to see if the company resolves complaints in a timely and appropriate manner. Make sure they belong to an industry association, like the United States Organizations for Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA) and The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC). Closely evaluate their fee structure, contacts, disclaimers and service guarantees.

A debt settlement company should also inform you of the negative impact debt settlement has on your credit, the potential for increased collections activity and possible tax consequences of partially canceled debts. If they dodge the questions or make claims that seem too good to be true, then you should consider looking elsewhere or revisiting the do-it-yourself option.

Saving money doesn’t need to be difficult or time consuming, try these 8 simple tips to see how easy it can be.

Have a plan (and then follow it) at the grocery store. It’s obvious to have a list. In fact, I’m great at list-making. On my last dash to the store, my list contained the following items: Wheat Chex, toothpaste, gallon of milk, cheddar cheese, pretzels and Gatorade. The bill should have easily totaled less than $25.00. By the time I neared the check-out, my bill totaled close to $50.00. It seems a few extra items had crept into my cart. Make sure you have a plan and then follow it when you do your shopping. If you continually overspend (like I have the tendency to do) leave the house with what you plan to spend plus a $5.00 lee-way.

Put kids to work clipping coupons. Single parents rarely have the time to clip coupons for savings. Give your children a list of products that you use regularly. Sit them down each Sunday with the paper and let them partake in a coupon hunt. For each coupon they find (and you use), they get to keep half of the coupon’s value. For example: if they find a $1.00 off coupon on Cheerios, they receive 50 cents when you use it and your grocery bill bottom line receives the other 50 cents.

Watch where you walk. Less expensive items are typically placed around the outside of the market, it’s those middle aisles that hold the items that quickly add to your bill. When you do need to dash down one of those aisles, remember to look high and look low. Less expensive items are usually placed near the top or bottom of the shelves. The shelves that are eye-level are reserved for the more expensive items.

Buy in bulk when you can. Buying items, that don’t spoil, in bulk can save money and save trips to the store. For staples and nonperishable goods, stock up at good sale prices or join a warehouse club. If warehouse quantities are too much for your own family, combine your list with a few other single parents and then split the food to maximize your savings.

Let children design greeting cards and wrapping paper using items found around the house. This makes a great rainy day project while providing savings for the family.
Shop year round. Instead of waiting for Christmas woes and stressing at a time that should be joyous for families, learn to shop and take advantage of sales year around. Have a small amount taken from each paycheck and put into a Christmas fund. Carry a Christmas list in your daily planner.

If you haven’t tried a thrift shop, now is the time. While the idea of thrift and resale shops once brought to mind pictures of dingy rooms with stained clothes – not so any-more! Thrift shop business is booming. If you haven’t tried a second-hand store, take a peek you could be pleasantly surprised!

Keep a spending diary. If you find that you are still scrimping day-to-day, keep a detailed spending journal. It is of-ten amazing how little purchases add up to big expenses! Seeing expenses in black and white can be eye opening. Buying a quick cup of coffee at a drive-through each morning can easily cost you $20-$30 a month. Most people spend at least $5.00 each weekday on food related items at work. (Lunch, pop, coffee, snacks, etc.) Bringing lunches, treats and drinks from home could save your family $100 per month – or $1200 per year! Little expenses add up quickly.

When you find the areas in your life where the money is draining out, plug up the holes! Now that you are better equipped to handle your current finances, let’s take a look ahead to finances of the future.

Do you know how many credit cards you carry? Do you have a list
of long-pending bills? Do you know your exact financial situation?

Credit cards can be a great boon to many people, since the
introduction of the first one, BarclayCard, back in 1966, which then
enjoyed a credit card monopoly into the seventies, when, in 1972,
Access was launched. Nowadays every major ( and minor) Bank,
large store, etc, have added to the virtually thousands of cards to
choose from. The introduction of so many plastic money sources,
for many of us, has caused an uncontrollable temptation to spiral
into consumer debt.

But these credit card producing companies only have one thought
in mind. They are not thinking of the convenience that plastic
money brings to us, or for those of us that use the credit card
interest free period, but for those of us that take the easy
temptation into debt not considering where the real money will
come from to repay these credit card debts. Worse of all, there
are virtually no controls whatsoever over these card issuing firms,
especially over their extortionate interest rates. I saw one card,
with an interest rate of 35%.

Because this temptation is so easy, it doesn't matter whether
you're already deep in debt or whether you are on the verge of
getting into it; in many cases you need some advice on debt
consolidation--and not informally from friends--but from experts.

Where can you get expert advice on debt consolidation for your
credit cards?

You can get advice on credit card debt management from banks
and financial firms. There are loads of debt consolidation
companies around who will supply you with a financial expert or
councilor to help solve your problems. You may also find some
helpful advice online on debt management.

All you are required to do is to fill-out a form, giving them
information about your credit rating, your secured and unsecured
debts, and the list of your creditors. They will chalk out a plan just
for you and advise on which steps you should take next.

Another advantage of debt advice is that your advisor will also
suggest you some lifestyle changes you can make in the future to
changes in your lifestyle to prevent another credit card debt pile
up.

That's great, but how much do you have to pay?

Don't worry! Most of the advisory part is done free of charge.
Although the price can only be known once you have chosen the
company or bank with whom you wish to work. There are definitely
online sites and other firms which will offer you advice free of cost
but this is for you to decide.

Credit Card debts should not be neglected and it is always better
to take advice from the right source. Choose your company with
utmost care and you will find your way out of debt.

Also, if you ever get into debt, do not become an ostrich. Sticking
your head in the sand will actually not make the situation any
better. As well as debt counseling, you should inform your credit
card company ( or companies) as soon as you get into trouble.

If you are a homeowner, secured loans are the most viable choice to raise funds. By putting your home as collateral, you can actually get a low rate of interest and added benefits like deferred repayments, repayment holidays etc. The loan is calculated on the value of the equity present in your home. And, therefore, loans secured against the equity are also called Home equity loans. These loans carry lucrative APRs because of the presence of collateral. This reduces the risk involved for the lender. The amount procured by such loans is usually hefty and can be used for any of the following purposes.

Debt Consolidation

Home improvements

Medical bills

Educational expenses

Holidays and vacations

Buying assets like land, car etc.

What is equity?

In case of secured loans, the greater equity you have in your home, greater is the amount you can procure. To define, equity is the difference between the market value of the borrower's home and the claims held against it. These claims may include mortgages and other debts running against the home. In simple words, Equity is equal to the funds you have invested in the home in order to own or improve it minus the debts/mortgages running against the home. Procuring a secured loan may seem a risky offer because of the involvement of the home, but the benefits of secured personal loans are far greater than the magnitude of the risk involved in the loan deal.

Interest rate type

Secured personal loans give freedom to the borrower in deciding the type of interest rate that he likes. Secured loans can be taken on any of the following rates of interest. Fixed Rate - The rate of interest remains the same for a certain period. So, the monthly instalments are fixed, irrespective of the changes in the base rate decided by the Bank of England.

Flexible Rate - The rate changes as per the changes in the base rate. This is also referred to as variable rate of interest.

Capped Rate - In this case, the lender decides a particular rate. If the base rate decreases, the borrower will pay less accordingly but if the base rate increases, the borrower won't be liable to pay more.

So, secured loans come with an array of advantages

“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”

Now converting your home into your dream mansion is very easy. All you need is lots of love, little creativity and the required sum of money to finance your home improvement project. And if you are worried about how to arrange for the finance, then one home improvement loan would do just fine.

Home improvement loans are just about ideal to meet the various needs that a person faces while improving the look and feel of his home. The home improvement can be of varied nature. Probably you want to get something repaired, build an extension to your house, opt for some cosmetic changes or simply change the interior decoration of your home. There are different financial expenses involved in different kinds of home improvement. Plus, if you want to employ the expert advice of an interior decorator, that you be an additional cost.

Lenders in UK have different plans available under the category of home improvement loans. Different plans are designed to suit the requirement of any kind of home improvement project. These loans are also made keeping into consideration the varied needs and financial background of different kinds of borrowers.

You can get your home improvement loan easily by searching online. This saves you the trouble of physical exertion and also gets you a good loan plan within minutes. Plus, you can compare loans and offers in order to find a suitable deal from among a wider range of options.

There are both secured and unsecured home improvement loans. The basic difference is that in secured home improvement loans, you need to place a security with the lender, which is usually your home.

But if you do not own a home, or do not want to risk it, you can always go for an unsecured loan. Although the rates are higher in this kind of loan when compared to secured loans, this is risk-free. Also, you can avail unsecured loan if you need to borrow only a small sum of money.

Sometimes people take loans and later on find themselves in a precarious situation when the time comes to meet the loan obligations. By not repaying in accordance with the terms of loan agreement, some people earn the dubious distinction of being bad credit holders. Very often, bad credit arises in the form of arrears, default in repayment, missed installments, bankruptcy, county court judgments, etc. But, do not worry, as you can still avail bad credit loans.

You can use bad credit loans for various purposes. So, there are different types of bad credit loans to help you in different situations. Broadly speaking, bad credit loans can either be secured or unsecured. Which loan you should take out depends on many factors, like your financial requirements, individual circumstances and your preferences. If you prefer not to give collateral to the lender when taking out a loan, then obviously you will have to apply for unsecured bad credit loans.

Unsecured bad credit loans are hard to get because lenders perceive a substantial risk in these types of loans. Even if you get unsecured bad credit loans, the interest rate will be very high. On the other hand, secured bad credit loans are relatively easy to avail. The lender gets a security and, therefore, sanctions you a bad credit loans. Homeowners normally like to take advantage of their homeowner status by negotiating a competitive deal in the case of secured bad credit loan.

People with bad credit history can also apply for bad credit personal loans and use the proceeds in any manner they want. Any of your personal requirements can be met with bad credit personal loans. Lenders are not concerned with how you are going to use personal loans. They normally require you to mention the purpose of taking out personal loan, and they are not bothered by anything more than that. So, there are many ways to defeat your bad credit. But, precaution demands that you should take only that much loan which you can repay through your resources.

In order to bridge the gap between the fulfillment of a personal need and the required fund, the UK financial market offers personal loans. These loans are in great demand, as one can avail them for any personal need. Hence, more and more lenders are devising favourable personal loan deals.

Since all type of people face the necessity of borrowing money in some or the other phase of life, personal loans are made available in both secured and unsecured form. While the homeowners are eligible for taking the secured one, others are provided with the unsecured one. Both types of loan have their respective merits and demerits.

A personal loans taken against the home of the borrower places the lender at least risks regarding money recovery. He has the solid assurance of cash return due to the attachment of the collateral. So, he reciprocates by facilitating the borrower with the following advantages:

Easy approval, even with bad credit record
Comparatively lower interest rates
Bigger loan amount
Extended repayment term
Easily affordable repayment premiums

If homeowners have a reason to rejoice for being awarded with some gainful benefits then tenants also do not have any reason to regret. Unsecured personal loan, meant for them, have some unique benefits like:

Risk free option of raising necessary funds
Relatively quicker processing
No property valuation fee
Simple documentation

Borrowing money to cater to a financial urgency is an age old tradition. And so is the consequent failure. Many people cannot repay a loan properly due to other emergencies. Negligence works in case of some other people. Whatever may be the case, it is not only the lender who is at the receiving end. The borrower also builds up bad credit record and cripples his personal finance. So, it is recommended to prepare proper plan to pay off personal loans and stick to it thereby to avoid failure.

Our plan is ideal for middle-aged homeowners who feel they have the energy and patience to play around with real estate, while earning a juicy income at the same time.

The Starting Point

The very beginning is your own home and a secure income. No way around that. Now, you look around and with all the time in the world in your hands and you find a nice-looking house. Take a 30-year mortgage, buy it and immediately rent it. The rent will approximately cover the cost of the mortgage. The whole thing about this is the longest term mortgage you can get, to keep the monthly payments low.

The Variations

There will be variations to this plan, since you have time to look around and shop for a good opportunity. Nobody is hurrying you. In this case, you can get a good price and take it while it’s hot. You will need to have your mortgage pre-approved, so as to gain time, as usual. A better price, will even tip the scales in your favor, leaving some cash in your hand.

Variation 2

Variation two is to buy a piece of land and build a duplex or maybe even buy a duplex. There you will have two rents instead of one, with which to pay for the mortgage. Make sure insurance and taxes are considered as well within the mortgage, so you will have less worry and running around paying bills.

Get Accustomed To The Feeling

Now, hold on for a few months, until you feel comfortable with the new feeling and start getting ready for a second purchase. Remember you used the property you bought as collateral for the mortgage, but you have your own home free to use it as a security for the next mortgage, supposing you wanted to buy land and build. In a few months you would build equity enough to have one property free for the next mortgage.

The Whole Secret

The secret here is to get the rent to pay for the mortgage; that is why I am suggesting the long term 30-year mortgage loan. I’ve done the numbers and it works. So, if you do this say, twice a year, or three times, in ten years you could have a minimum of twenty properties working for you. After ten years, you will have between two and four properties at least, with one third paid for and you will still have your first property free of security.

Feel Like Selling?

All right, sell one of the older properties. Pay off its mortgage, and keep one third if the value of the home, to enjoy as you wish, maybe early retirement, super vacation, whatever. One third of a property worth $200,000 is approximately $65,000, which means just over $5,000 a month. Like it? Next year, sell another and enjoy your retirement from it.

Selling one property a year, you will have twenty years of bonanza, apart from your regular pension. At this rate, your remaining properties will be gaining equity faster than you are selling. (You bought two a year and you sell one a year) So, by the time you get to the tenth property, it will have paid for its mortgage for twenty years, meaning two thirds equity. That means $130,000 for you, at today’s values, of course.

The Point Is

Nothing physical obtained in this world will be taken to the next. Enjoy it while you can, in this life and give your kids an example and even a home each, for that matter. It’s all in a good imagination and, of course, putting it into practice.

Sometimes due to accumulated debt or bad financial decisions that lead to missed payments, late payments or defaults, credit history gets ruined and you cannot get finance anymore due to a low credit score. These loans have been specially tailored to meet the needs of those with bad credit or even for those who have gone through a bankruptcy process. The loan terms have been defined so as to suit the needs and budget of those who have financial difficulties and cannot obtain nor afford regular forms of financing through traditional means.

Optimizing The Use Of The Funds For Credit Improvement

Fresh start loans can provide a fair amount of money that can be used for repaying outstanding debt. This reduces the debt exposure and thus, improves the credit rating. However, if you choose correctly the debt that is damaging your credit the most, you can optimize the use of the funds to repay as much of that debt as possible.

But, which debt causes more damage to your credit? Well, there are two variables that you need to take into account. On one hand you need to analyze the interest rate. Higher interest rate debt should be repaid sooner. This is especially true with high interest rate credit card balances that are responsible for most of the debt accumulation problems of the average American.

The other variable is the debt spreading. Debt concentration is also a great problem. You may have a low interest rate debt but it can be concentrated on a few upcoming years which reduces your available income significantly and thus affects your credit negatively. To avoid this situation you need to use the funds from your fresh start loan to repay your debt in such a way that your remaining debt is left equally distributed along the years.

Making Sure Timely Payments Get Recorded Into Your Credit Report

The continued payments of your fresh start loan will contribute to credit recovery. This is due to the fact that the last six months of your credit history are the most important ones and if you avoid late payments and missed payments you can repair your credit in a short period of time. Moreover, each payment on your new loan gets recorded into your credit report as a positive input, thus improving your credit score.

Another thing you can do in order to enhance your credit recovery process with fresh start loans is to make sure that the lender you’ve chosen reports to the biggest credit bureaus. That way, your timely monthly payments will be recorded into your credit report improving your credit score and history. Just make sure that you pay all your bills and debts on time from now on. Also, make sure to check your credit report from time to time so as to be certain that your credit score is improving and no inconsistent information is being reported to the credit bureaus

Knowing the value of good advice is the difference between staying poor or becoming rich. It takes some learning before you can tell the difference between good financial advice and bad financial advice, especially these days. It has been estimated the amount of information out there is doubling every few months. It is impossible for any one person to know everything. This forces the issue that complex money situations, such as investing or running a business, must be approached as a team sport.

The richest people in the world build networks of people and business systems, and it is impossible to do either if you are following bad advice. At some point you need to begin making decisions about the people you surround yourself with. The better you know the fundamentals of money and personal finance, the easier it will be for you to make these decisions.

Understanding cash flow patterns, learning the difference between earned income and passive income, and knowing how these things relate to each other (as well as to your main focus in life) is the key to making good financial decisions. Use this understanding to help you select the people you surround yourself with, whether they are accountants, lawyers, or even employees. A banker that works for an earned income himself, for example, may understand little about investing and is likely to give you advice that will keep you working for earned income and saving your money (just like himself).

You should try to surround yourself with advisers that share your understanding and who can see your vision of your future. Remember, these professionals are here to give you important advice, so their ability should exceed your own. Do not be intimidated by the idea of giving up a little control in this situation. If you try to know as much about accounting as your accountant, you will end up being an accountant! So always remember why you are talking to these professionals, and what you are trying to accomplish.

This leads to one final point to ponder. The quality of the decisions you make are directly dependent on your current level of understanding. Increase your financial understanding, and you will increase your financial success.

Many times when one has a limited history of credit, the lender will ask the borrower if he or she could secure a co-signer for the loan. This is a person who will share the risk.

When you co-sign on a loan, that obligation can also appear on your credit report and be figured in to your debt-to- income ratio.

Before you sign on that dotted line with someone else, consider these two stories told to me by my customers:

CASE ONE A long-haul truck driver had perfect credit for over twenty years. His son, in his early twenties, wanted to buy a pickup truck and a motorcycle. “Sure, I’ll sign with you,” Dad said. The truck driver would call his son from the road. “Are you making those payments?” “Sure,” the son said. He lied.

Before long the father received a call from the attorney at the dealership. Apparently the son had not made a payment on either vehicle for over six months.

Settling the son’s case of delinquent payments drove the father into bankruptcy.

Several months after the bankruptcy, the father went to purchase a pickup truck of his own. The salesperson told him, “We can finance you, but because of your credit history, the rate will be high.”

My customer told me, “Right then and there I felt like kissing his feet. Everywhere else I had gone they took one look at my record, then treated me like dirt.”

“I later told my son, ‘Son, I’ll always love you, but don’t ever do that to me again!’ ”

CASE TWO

After years of searching, a young man finally found that special girl he wanted to make his wife. So he and his buddy went shopping for the perfect (meaning expensive) diamond engagement ring.

Because he didn’t yet have credit established, he asked his buddy to sign with him when they found it at a jewelry store.

The young man then took the dazzling, sparkling ring to his potential bride-to-be.

“Will you marry me?” he proposed.

“No!” she replied.

No? That response was not part of his plan.

The young (and stupid) man was so upset that he flung the ring. It was never to be found.

Further, because the young man had neither the girl nor the ring, he didn’t understand why he should have to pay for either.

Guess who had to make the monthly payments on the diamond ring?

If you guess the young man’s buddy, you are wrong. You see, in the buddy’s household, it is his wife who pays the bills.

“So,” the buddy’s wife told me, “I’m paying for that diamond engagement ring that I never received when he proposed.”

Moral of both stories: You must pay if your family member or friend doesn’t when you co-sign on a loan. (And sometimes pay and pay and pay.)

In order to purchase a new notebook most people need some sort of finance and though the usual method of financing these purchases is credit cards, truth is that personal loans are an excellent choice too and they also might be less expensive.

Timing For Computer Purchases

When purchasing computers whether it’s a personal desktop computer or a notebook, timing is of the essence. Whenever a new operating system is about to come to the market it is best to wait till it’s on sale and all new computers come with it. Otherwise, upgrading is usually costly in terms of money, time and hassles.

Moreover, whenever a new hardware product of significant importance (mainly microchips) are about to come to the market, you should also wait as the presentation of such a product will immediately push previous products’ prices down and you will be able to get a much better deal on them.

Different Finance Options

When it comes to financing there are many options available. For starters, the stores generally offer different options whether they have agreements with credit cards or not. You may get a line of credit from the store or some stores even have closed credit cards of their own. In any case you should always compare what the different finance products really cost as it will add up to the product price in the long run.

Credit cards, if no promotion is available, generally charge high interest rates. But store cards usually have even higher rates. An alternative to both are personal loans. Some stores offer personal loans too but you should focus on traditional lenders or lenders specialized in personal loans as stores usually overcharge for financing.

Personal Loan Is the Best Choice

A personal loan for purchasing a notebook is definitely the best choice. This is mainly due to the fact that given that these products are expensive, you can’t do with only one or two installments and thus, paying with credit card and financing will turn out really expensive. You may end up paying over 50% more.

Personal loans on the other side, have a fixed interest rate, you’ll be able to repay it in 12 months, 24 months or even more and the monthly payments are definitely affordable enough for you not to worry about how it might affect your budget. The interest rate charged by personal loans is usually half the rate of credit cards and sometimes even lower.

An Incentive Reward Company is one that will reward you for trying out products and services or completing surveys and offers available through companies that they are affiliated with. These offers are often "free" to participate in, but some require you to invest some money. Though an offer may not always be free, membership in the rewards companies are. Most rewards companies offer consumer electronics to you as "prizes" for completing offers, but the incentive companies represented here will pay you cash for your participation. It's simple. You just login to your account, click on paid offer link, complete the offers that interest you and get paid cash. For each paid offer you complete you will receive a predetermined amount of money.

Advantage

You really do not need to spend any money to make money in this case. There are a great number of companies offering free products and services to you via the Incentive Rewards Companies. All you have to do is "try something out", keep whatever that something is and collect the cash.

Disadvantage

There is a limit to how much you can make because there are only so many companies involved in these programs. Sometimes even if something is "free" you have to pay to have it shipped to you, but if shipping is $2.00 and the incentive reward for trying it is $6.00, it's a no brainer. So there may be a short time between when you pay for shipping and are "reimbursed" for it.

Facts & Advice

Sometimes you do have to buy something to earn money, but the reward is much higher in these cases.

If you sign up for a free trial membership with a company you don't like, you may cancel your membership and keep your earnings.

Some offers are really great and you will often find that you are using a product or service already that you could have been paid to use. Keep that in mind when you are browsing offers. Remember. If the reward is more than a potential shipping charge, you always make money.

Incentive rewards programs are a great way to make money and one of the simplest ways you will find at MoneyIncCollege.com. You can make a good amount of money for free with these programs, but it could take you a while. The simple way to make a lot of money quickly with these programs is to spend some money to "try" free products and such. Follow the instructions below and earn hundreds quickly and easily.

Make More Money In Less Time

Be prepared to spend some money. It will have to be on a credit or debit card. Don't worry about what you will spend because you will get this back many times over.

Sign up with an incentive rewards company. Many of them offer computers, ipods or other such items, but the rewards programs you will find at MoneyInCollege.com offer cash rewards only. When you look at the offers you will notice that many offers are totally free, but do not offer a big reward for participation. Some offer huge rewards, but you have to spend a small amount of money, such as a shipping and handling fee to try a free product. Your job is to find the best "bang for buck" deals.

Sign up for as many deals as you can. When you pay for deals, make them count. If you want more money, you can always sign up for more offers that cost nothing (or spend a little more money).

You can request a payout of your earnings at any time, but you should at least wait until you have made a hundred dollars or so.

If you would like, you can take the money that you have earned to make even more money. Just repeat the process over again as many times as you would like. If you run out of good offers with a one company, just sign up with the next.

Once again, you don't have to spend money to make money with an incentive rewards program, but if you do, your earnings will come fast and tenfold. Remember that you can sign up with more than one company at a time and you can request payout whenever you like. Follow these simple instructions and you will make money, no questions asked.

All in an half an hour’s work:

In an effort to prove to you that rewards companies rock (if you know what you’re doing); I have posted my experience with my favorite rewards company at my website.

Making money with this company really is child's play. All I did was find the biggest bang for buck offers; I signed up and waited for the check. As far as the offers go; some were free, but the most of the "big payoff" offers were for tangible products. Paying shipping was no big deal to me, because I knew I would make the money back.

The math: I spent $22.32 on offers. The other offers were free and my earnings totaled 113.50. So in the end, I made 91.18 in about a half an hour. Of course the check took a while to make it here, but I quadrupled my money.

I'm normally a Webmaster, and do not participate in these programs. The reason that I did this is to prove to you how easy it is to make money with rewards programs, but I have made even more recently. I set out again to make money. After an investment of $49.26 for offers I have earned $378.70 for a profit of $329.44 and all in a days’ work.