Insurance and Credit

Have you ever really examined your credit card bill? Do you understand all of the different fees you’re being charged? For a long time now, credit card companies have been operating without any real scrutiny and the number and types of fees they charge their customers have gotten out of control.

The tide is beginning to turn now though. More and more people are realizing what’s been happening to them and more and more people are starting to do something about it. One technique that can help us avoid the burden of monstrous fees is to switch off our credit cards and switch on prepaid debit cards. Let me explain.

If you’re in a position to do so, I propose you start converting all of your existing credit card spending over to prepaid debit cards. Month-by-month, phase out all of the credit card purchases until you make no more. Then (again, if you can), set up an automatic payment to your credit card, something that is higher than the minimum payment required and something that is scheduled to arrive at least a few days in advance of the billing due date. Then lock the credit card away in a drawer!

If you do that, you’ll never have another late fee again. Credit card companies love to charge late fees. In 2008 over 19 billion dollars was raked in by these companies for their various “penalty fees.” That’s a lot of dough, especially when you consider that in some cases the companies manipulate their billing practices to put the consumer in a position to incur these fees. Here’s an example.

Let’s say your credit “limit” is $1,000.00. You would think that you couldn’t charge more than that and if you tried your card would be declined. You’d be wrong. In reality, that’s a soft limit. Credit card companies are perfectly willing to let you charge beyond it so they can tack on a $25.00 or $35.00 over-limit fee to your bill. Then they can get tricky and send you a bill with a minimum payment that will bring you just under the limit – but not when you calculate in the monthly finance charge. In other words, you make the minimum payment, think you’ve dropped below the credit limit, the company tacks on its finance charge, and bang – you’re back over the limit and you’re getting a second over-limit fee. Pretty slick huh?

Prepaid cards don’t come with tricky monthly finance/billing cycle calculations either. These are the computations the credit card companies make to determine how much they’re going to charge you to carry your balance from one month to the next. There are actually 6 or 7 different ways these charges can be calculated and everyone is designed to yield the highest return for the company based on your spending habits.

Another great (and hidden) fee the credit card companies receive is the interchange fee. These are pretty much secret fees that businesses pay the companies to cover the actual credit card transaction costs. Then of course the businesses pass the expense onto their customers by charging higher prices. There are some estimates that say consumers pay about $2.00 in interchange fees for every $100.00 they spend with a credit card. That $2.00 adds up to tens of billions every year for these companies.

These are just a few of the reasons why switching over to a prepaid debit card can benefit you as a consumer. Let’s face it; the credit card companies have almost all the leverage. About the only options we have left is to cut our losses and prevent them from preying on us in the future. So if you’re in a position to do so, I invite you to take a good long look at prepaid debit cards and see how they can become your sensible, more consumer-friendly alternative to credit cards.

There are a lot of apprehension on contacting Debt Management Advisors. Just beware of those who require an upfront fee or a monthly fee. Choose the right Scottish debt expert that can actually help you out with your financial problem.

These experts will calculate your income potential, monthly expenditures, and your monthly affordability to pay off your loans. Then they will give you recommendations on how you can pay off your debt. Here are the top 3 options you could choose from:

1. Debt restructure

Please be reminded that when you restructure your debt you will be paying more in interest. So, special reconsideration and planning is needed. When you do restructuring your loan term will be extended. This will be discussed by you and the company you owed money from.

2. Plan a Debt Management

In this option, your debt expert advisor will be sending each company a summary or list of your financial status. Wherein it is listed in details, your income, expenses, and amount of money that is expendable for paying your debt.

3. File a bankruptcy

Circumstances may be so bad that you are recommended to file for bankruptcy. This is normally recommended when you don’t have the ability to pay anymore. It can last for 12 months to 5 years depending on your financial status.

Whatever option you choose always remember to pay your creditors any amount each month, and before making a final decision take some advice from a Scottish debt expert as early as possible.

This article explains a few things about debt consolidation and collection agencies, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know.

Debt collection agencies are hired to do one thing – collect debt. Often, they receive a commission or purchase your account at a lesser value than you owe. Debt collection is somewhat of an art form, and not every employee may be up to the task.

Debt collection abuse is rampant, fortunately, there are some debt collectors that use fair debt collection practices and make an effort to abide by the federal law. Debt collection and accounts receivable management have been highlighted by many firms recently as a growth area within outsourcing. This is due to rising personal indebtedness in western markets, and the need for creditors to recoup these funds. Debt collection agencies will call you if you have debts to pay. Debt Collection Agencies will also pursue old debts that you never paid off, in hopes that you will pay it just to get them to stop calling and harassing you .

Collectors are playing on the sympathy of the deceased families to collect such debt left behind. Some of these strategies are forwarding your call to counselors that will listen to anyone cry and grief on the telephone, tell you everything will be ok and then call you back a week later and try collecting on the debt again. Collectors who are required to reference state law in their debt collection notices would not be able to arbitrarily inflate debts. Collectors are a vile sort. They love to put the pressure on to extract payment so they can get their bonus or commission.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about debt consolidation? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

Laws in other states may vary. Overall, our fact sheets are applicable to consumers nationwide. Lawyers don’t take cases on retainer unless they can make money. If you find a qualified lawyer to handle your case, a lawsuit will take months, even years to settle.

Consumers also complain that debt collectors speak to them in a hostile, insulting or degrading manner, or make various improper threats. It is unlawful for debt collectors to threaten that failure to pay a debt may result in arrest or other criminal sanctions. Consumer complaints may be filed online .

Bill Collectors really want their money, like the rest of us. The firm gets default judgments in 90 percent of its cases, which are judgments in its favor when a defendant doesn’t respond, he said. Contact them to get the solution for your debt recovery. Contact a consumer lawyer if you are in this situation for advice about your case

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about debt consolidation.