insuranceclub's Blog

For the debtor who is already at the end of his rope and trying to figure out how to get out of debt, the last thing he needs to worry about is whether the debt counselor he has chosen to help him is going to make his problems worse. He needs to be assured that he is not making a mistake by choosing debt counseling over bankruptcy or working out a settlement with the creditors.

The first thing one should do to gain some certainty that the debt counselor they are planning to choose is reputable is to check with the Better Business Bureau. Of course, this isn't a guarantee since they only have on file information from people who have filed complaints, so if it's a new company or one who has had no complaints filed against it, you really aren't going to know. Nonetheless, this is the best tool you have, and you should utilize it to the greatest degree possible.

Another way to find out the reputation of a debt counseling service is through word of mouth. If the company is reputable, they will not mind providing you with information about other clients. Of course you want to be sure that they are not giving out false or unsolicited information. If they are really reputable, they will likely have something on their application allowing them to release information to other potential clients.

If it's a local company, perhaps you even know people who have utilized their services. If they are not willing to give you references you can check, then you're much better off to move forward to someone who is willing to cooperate with you. In most, though not all, cases, refusal to provide references means there is something they are trying to hide, and this is not the kind of person with whom you want to do business.

The Internet is a wonderful place to search for information on various subjects, and if there is a company of questionable reputation, there is more than likely a forum that has been set up to complain about this company. Strange as it may seem, people on the Internet actually set up websites, forums, and groups on Yahoo and MSN to do nothing more than complain about companies they feel have treated them unfairly.

Utilize all the tools that are at your disposal, and if it's a local company, be sure you check with all of the local agencies including the Attorney General's Office who would know of any illegal activity that has been reported. If you have come this far, you do not have the funds to be taken for a ride, so you want to be very careful to whom you give your money. It's not going to help your situation if the person you choose doesn't do the job they promise to do, and you can't even collect damages in court if they ultimately close down their operation.

Choose a company who has been in business long enough to have a record of clientele, and choose one you feel is looking out for your best interests and not just wanting to take your money. Choose a debt counselor as carefully as you would choose a babysitter for your newborn baby.

By: Darnell Scott

From Bangkok to Edmonton, creditcard statements stuff mail and email boxes with p

Copyright 2006 Leo J Quinn Jr Enterprises, LLC

Let's talk about consumer debt. You know, the kind you rack up because you really need stuff.

Your sofa is looking pretty nasty. It's covered with Kool-Aid stains,and throw pillows are hiding threadbare spots where the tufting peeks through. You even had to throw down some plywood to keep the pillows from sagging.

Time to go out and buy a new one, right?

Not if you don't have the cash.

Here's why that new sofa is going to cost you a lot more than the $800 sticker price if you go into consumer debt to buy it.

Let's assume you buy the sofa as well as matching loveseat and end tables for a grand total of $2000. You finance your purchase through the furniture store for three years at an interest rate of 21.45% (let's leave out the "no interest for two years" deal for a minute).

Your monthly payments will be drum roll, please $75.

"Wow", you think. "That's pretty affordable." Sure it is.

Until you count the true cost of that sofa.

Let's assume you're 30 years old and you're going to retire at 65. Let's also assume you have access to a 401(k) that your employer matches at 50%, you can earn a 10% average return on investments, and your combined federal and state tax brackets are 20%.

If you pay for your furniture with cash and invest the $75 a month in your 401(k) for three years instead, you'd have $4,330 more in your account at the end of the three years (plus your sofa). Now keep that $4,330 in your 401(k) without any additional investment and in another 32 years, at retirement, it will have grown to $83,112.

So, basically, your sofa cost you $2,000, plus $700 interest, plus $83,112 that would have grown over 32 years in your retirement account.

Final sticker price: $85,812.

Yikes.

Here's an alternative plan: hang on for another two years, save $80 a month in a money market mutual fund or savings vehicle that earns at least 4%, and use cash to pay for your new living room set.

Final sticker price: $1,920

Here's an even better alternative plan: hang on for another two years, save $80 a month, and after you buy the sofa, put $80 a month in your 401(k) instead (you were already living without it for two years).

Final sticker price: $1,920, plus an extra $815,699 in YOUR bank account by age 65.

Now what about those "no interest for two years" deals? Well, you can certainly take advantage of those, if you're disciplined enough to pay off the balance in less time. Most people aren't.

You can use this strategy for every major purchase you make.

The cost of consumer debt is a big deal, when it's compounded by time, interest and 50% employer matching.

So next time you hit the furniture store and the salesman is telling you, "It's only going to cost you $75 a month", you'll know better. Tell him or her, "Nope! It's actually going to cost me around $85 grand. See you in two years."

Avoid consumer debt, and you're well on your way to a much stronger financial future.

By: Leo Quinn

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