Archive for the ‘Debt Consolidation’ Category

McCarthy Law PLC Hosts a New Radio Program Focused on Debt Relief

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) May 05, 2012

After years of counseling clients through debt settlement with credit card companies, mortgage lenders, and banks, McCarthy Law PLC announces a weekly program on AM radio’s KFNX 1100. The program–Candid Conversations–is currently on Thursday afternoons from 3-4. The program may hold the answers to many of Arizona’s most pressing debt problems for business owners and individuals.

The name of the program–Candid Conversations–is an allusion to McCarthy Law’s well-known slogan “Candid Conversation. Wise Counsel” and it features legal advice and in-depth conversation with a wide- variety of guests: experienced attorneys, bankruptcy specialists, legal scholars, real estate insiders, financial counselors, and others. Additionally, Arizona Attorney Kevin Fallon McCarthy, managing attorney at McCarthy Law, will be featured on the program each week. Listeners will also have the opportunity to call in with comments and questions for such guests as Arizona Real Estate Attorney Robert Nagle who was recently featured on the program.

Nagle is the founder and senior partner at the Nagle Law Group in Phoenix. As an Arizona real estate lawyer with deep experience in commercial, residential, and corporate property law, he is just one of the many esteemed guests who will be on Candid Conversations.

In addition to issues related to property law, real estate and mortgage debt, the program will also feature discussions related to bankruptcy and alternatives to bankruptcy for business owners, individuals, and families.

The host of Candid Conversations, Todd Westover, says that debt relief involves careful diagnosis of an individual or small businesses’ situation: “We perform triage with clients. We look at their circumstances and consider many available options for relief. If bankruptcy is the right option, McCarthy Law will recommend that, but for many people, bankruptcy is not the best or only choice available.” Instead, Westover says, debt consolidation, credit card debt reduction, creditor negotiations and other alternatives to bankruptcy may be much more attractive and reasonable.

Subjects likely to be covered on the radio show will also include: debt negotiation and consolidation, foreclosure versus bankruptcy, negotiating terms for debt related to HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit), how to stop creditor harassment, and a variety of other topics that are relevant to the entire nation but especially to people living in Arizona.

For many people–especially citizens of Arizona–a radio program like Candid Conversations could not come at a better time. All the program’s topics will be directly related to the national as well as the state’s financial problems. According to the US Census, the average American household owes more than nine thousand dollars in credit card debt. Realtytrac reports that there have been nearly 9,500 new foreclosures reported in Arizona in the past month. The Department of Labor shows that in the Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale metropolitan area, the unemployment rate is 7.5%. With so many problems at the national, state-wide, and local level, no wonder so many Arizona citizens are staggering under the burden of financial realities. Candid Conversations is sure to offer some valuable advice for dealing with the weight of these struggles.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

What is a debt solution?

A debt solution is basically any kind of formal or informal procedure that can help make your debts more
manageable. These can range from debt consolidation loans to bankruptcy. They can suit a range of needs, such as:

I cant afford my monthly payments

If you cant keep up with your monthly unsecured debt repayments – but
you would be able to afford them if they were a bit smaller – debt management may be the
debt solution for you.

Your lenders dont have to agree to a debt management plan. If they do, however, you will be able to make smaller payments you can manage over a longer
period of time. Your lenders may even agree to freeze interest and charges on your debts.

Want to find out more about debt management plans? Click here
.

Im finding it hard to keep track of all my repayments each month

If, financially, you are still in a good position to clear your entire debt – but you have too many payments to keep track of comfortably each month – debt consolidation may be suitable.

With debt consolidation loans, you can cover your entire debt with one large loan. This means that all your original debts are simply paid off. You can
then focus on repaying the consolidation loan. You may be able to pay this off over a longer or shorter period – thus making the monthly repayments
smaller or larger.

Replacing several smaller debts with one large one means that you still have the same amount to repay – but you only have one debt, one lender and one
interest rate to think about, rather than several.

Click here to read more about debt consolidation loans
.

I dont think Ill ever be able to repay what I owe

If you simply cant see a way to repay your unsecured debts in any realistic timeframe, you may wish to consider anIVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) – or a Trust Deed if you are a Scottish resident (click here for more about Trust Deeds).

If you start an IVA, you will only pay as much as you can afford each month. Your interest and charges will be frozen and you will be protected against
legal action from your unsecured lenders. In most cases, any included unsecured debt remaining will be written off after five years, as long as youve
fulfilled your side of the agreement.

Click here for more about IVAs
.

Things to think about

One of these debt solutions could be the best way for you to tackle your debts. There are drawbacks, however. For example, all debt solutions (except
debt consolidation loans) will have a negative impact on your credit rating for a certain amount
of time. Paying debt back over a longer period of time (if interest and charges arent frozen) may mean you pay more overall. In IVAs and Trust Deeds,
homeowners may be expected to release some equity in their homes.

Despite these drawbacks, a debt solution may still be right for you. Bear in mind that if you did nothing about your unsecured debt problems, you could
still end up facing some of the problems listed above.

If you want to find out which debt solution could be right for you, fill in our Solution Finder
.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of online cash advances and payday loans.

National Debt Relief Group Offers Consumers Credit Card Debt Relief Options

NEW YORK, April 27, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Nationalrelief.com wants to make it easy for anyone to get the debt help they need. Filling out a simple form can get consumers connected to programs customized for their needs. The application is quick, easy and secure. Best of all, it is easy and comes with no obligation.

Consumers who are dealing with credit card debt should consider debt settlement over bankruptcy or a debt consolidation loan. Settling those credit card debts can save the average consumer 50 percent off their principal balances.

Failure to pay credit card bills on time can result in constant contact from creditors. Constant phone calls, letters and harassing messages are often reported by debtors. Consolidating debt through settlement or arbitration can end the creditor harassment. Debtors who use a debt relief service to settle their debts will no longer be contacted by creditors.

Instead, the creditors will be contacting the debt relief service directly. This can lift a heavy burden off those who are struggling with debt. Legal actions may also be halted once a debtor enters a credit relief program. The focus should be on repaying as much of the debt as possible as opposed to litigation.

Those who opt for a debt settlement program are not taking out a loan. Debt settlement is simply another way to consolidate multiple credit card payments into one monthly payment. Keeping track of one monthly payment is often much easier for most debtors. Organization typically leads to fewer missed payments.

Consolidating credit card payments will result in a faster debt payoff than other debt reduction methods at the lowest cost. Nearly all credit card companies raise interest rates to 30 percent after just one missed payment. Settling credit card debt can reduce that interest rate by 50 percent. Some consumers may see a savings of 60 percent on their interest charges.

Costs related to credit card relief programs should always be considered. Nationalrelief.com will only collect fees once an account has been satisfactorily settled. Companies who charge fees before services dont offer consumers the best value. Dont be fooled by another company who claims to be a non-profit in the hopes of luring in people who are down on their luck.

Contact:

National Debt Relief Group 1-888-703-4948 http://www.nationalrelief.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).#xA0; For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE National Debt Relief Group

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of online cash advances and payday loans.

Chinatrust CFO: No Plan To Increase Provision On Loans To ProMOS

TAIPEI Chinatrust Financial Holdings Co. (2891.TW) has no plan to increase provision on its loans to beleaguered chip maker ProMOS Technologies Inc., as the bank has already made an allowance on the recovery equivalent to 76% of the loans, the lenders chief financial officer, Rachel Kao, said Wednesday.

Kao said the bank is comfortable with the current level of provision because there appears to be some improvement in the debt consolidation plan.

ProMOS hasnt been able to service its debts since 2009 because it has suffered a series of quarterly losses since 2007 due to low chip prices amid an industry-wide oversupply. It has been paying only the interest, and not the principal, on all loans since 2009. The company said on Nov. 2 that its outstanding loans at that time totaled NT$57 billion (US$1.96 billion) and the interest rate was 0.1%.

ProMOS is still looking to sell down its assets to raise funds, but has yet to seal a deal with potential buyers. Kao declined to elaborate.

She also said Chinatrusts net interest margin will likely have a mild growth in the second half, improving from 1.62% as of end-March, driven by earnings growth from asset management and the sale of insurance products.

Chinatrust completed its acquisition of MetLife Inc.s Taiwan operations in November, marking its foray into the life insurance business.

Copyright copy; 2012 Dow Jones Newswires

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Credit card debt and other financial concerns still plague many Americans

Top Articles to Help You Lead A Debt-Free Life

  • Debt Consolidation: “Debt Consolidation” is one of the most commonly misunderstood and misinterpreted personal finance strategies that consumers inquire about all the time. While some view it as a method of taking on new loans, others see it as a debt relief alternative. It is more important than ever for inquisitive consumers to have a very strong understanding of exactly what debt consolidation entails, and the impacts it can have on personal finances.
  • Debt Relief: Debt relief is defined as a partial or total forgiveness of debt. When the term is used by the government, it usually refers to the forgiveness of debt to underdeveloped countries. Recently, it has begun to refer to the millions of consumers who are overwhelmed with debt seeking financial relief from their unsecured debt.
  • Credit Card Debt: Credit card debt is an example of unsecured consumer debt, accessed through credit cards. Debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system. Debt accumulates and increases via interest and penalties when the consumer does not pay the company for the money he or she has spent.
  • Debt Settlement: Debt settlement programs use a third party to negotiate lower balances and interest rates on unsecured debt. This type of debt management plan helps provide consumers an alternative to bankruptcy while reducing your outstanding debt.
  • Credit Counseling: There are a numerous options for consumers who want to start getting their finances under control after accumulating large amounts of debt, which could inevitably lead to credit problems further down the road. Consumers who are in control of most aspects of their finances, but still feel like they could use additional help managing their debt burden, could certainly benefit from the assistance of a consumer credit counseling service.
  • How Do I Get Out of Debt?: Now that the national economy is beginning to recover and people are having a better time dealing with their personal finances, many consumers who found themselves sunk deep in debt over the last few years may be asking themselves the question, “How do I get out of debt?” Fortunately, there are a number of avenues consumers can take to get out of debt, each with benefits and drawbacks depending on how quickly people need to fix their financial problems.
  • 10 Tips to Avoid the Debt Trap: Have you ever thought about why so many of the people you know are struggling with debt? Do you ever wonder why banks keep lending to certain individuals, even when they are falling behind on their payments? Did you know that debt problems are a leading cause of major societal problems, such as stress, divorce and alcoholism?
  • Credit Management: Many consumers are finding themselves buried under a pile of mounting debt. With interest accumulating month after month in addition to late fees being charged, many consumers are finding it difficult to make just the minimum payments on their credit cards. Although this may seem like an endless battle, with a strict budget and some discipline there are credit management strategies and solutions that will allow consumers to reduce or even eliminate their debt.
  • Credit Card Debt Reduction: In recent months, many Americans have made a greater effort to seek credit card debt reduction and reduce the balances they owe, but some may not know where to start. Fortunately, there are several options available for consumers thathave a financial goal to achieve credit card debt reduction.
  • Credit problems: Paying down high levels of debt is one of the best ways to improve credit problems and increase one’s credit standing. But many people cannot do that so quickly, especially in this economy. About one-third of a credit score is based off of a credit utilization ratio, which is the total creditbalances divided by the total credit limits. A great target is to use no more than 30% of one’s available credit.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of online cash advances and payday loans.

Is it possible to get debt consolidation with bad credit?

Debt consolidation can help people with multiple debts to manage them more effectively, with one monthly payment instead of many. You can consolidate
debts if you have bad credit, but the right way to consolidate them depends on your situation.

Debt consolidation doesnt have to mean debt consolidation loan – there are various different ways to bring your debts together so you make just
one payment towards them per month.

Debt consolidation loan

A debt consolidation loan pays off all your existing unsecured debts, leaving you with one larger loan and one repayment to make per month.

It can make your debt repayments more affordable if you spread them over a longer period, but youll be paying your debt back for longer – and that
might mean you end up paying more interest too.

Youll only be able to get a debt consolidation loan if you can afford the monthly repayments and your credit rating is good enough. If you have bad
credit, lenders might not feel confident youll repay the money. A debt consolidation loan, therefore, is probably more likely to help someone with a
fair-to-good credit rating.

Enter your details here to apply for a debt consolidation loan.

However, there are other ways to consolidate debts into one payment per month with bad credit.

Debt management

Debt management is a type of debt consolidation offered by debt management companies: you pay them one sum every month (which includes their fee) and
they pay off each of your unsecured lenders for you.

Debt management is a new agreement you could come to with your unsecured lenders when you need to lower your monthly payments. You can do this by
spreading your repayments out over a longer period, which does leave you in debt for longer.

It damages your credit rating for six years when you lower your repayments and can increase the amount of interest you repay overall. Debt management
is more likely to help someone with a poorer credit rating.

Click here to get a debt adviser to call you and tell you about debt management.

IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement)

An IVA is a legally binding arrangement you could come to with your lenders when you cannot afford to repay your unsecured debts in full. Under the
arrangement you repay whatever you can afford and your lenders write off the rest when your IVA reaches a successful conclusion. Lenders dont have to
agree to an IVA, but if they do and youre a homeowner, you might have to release equity to help you repay as much as you can afford.

An IVA is another sort of debt consolidation, because you make one payment every month for the full term of the IVA. However, an IVA is a form of
insolvency and it has a big impact on the credit records of people who enter into one. At the same time, unlike a debt consolidation loan or debt
management, you would not have to repay your unsecured debts in full when you enter into an IVA.

An IVA is most likely to help people with bad credit and a lot of debt that they cannot afford to repay in full.

In summary, there is more than one way to consolidate your debts and the right option depends on your personal circumstances.

Enter your details here to speak to a debt adviser about your debt consolidation options.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Consumers still not taking on much credit card debt

Top Articles to Help You Lead A Debt-Free Life

  • Debt Consolidation: “Debt Consolidation” is one of the most commonly misunderstood and misinterpreted personal finance strategies that consumers inquire about all the time. While some view it as a method of taking on new loans, others see it as a debt relief alternative. It is more important than ever for inquisitive consumers to have a very strong understanding of exactly what debt consolidation entails, and the impacts it can have on personal finances.
  • Debt Relief: Debt relief is defined as a partial or total forgiveness of debt. When the term is used by the government, it usually refers to the forgiveness of debt to underdeveloped countries. Recently, it has begun to refer to the millions of consumers who are overwhelmed with debt seeking financial relief from their unsecured debt.
  • Credit Card Debt: Credit card debt is an example of unsecured consumer debt, accessed through credit cards. Debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system. Debt accumulates and increases via interest and penalties when the consumer does not pay the company for the money he or she has spent.
  • Debt Settlement: Debt settlement programs use a third party to negotiate lower balances and interest rates on unsecured debt. This type of debt management plan helps provide consumers an alternative to bankruptcy while reducing your outstanding debt.
  • Credit Counseling: There are a numerous options for consumers who want to start getting their finances under control after accumulating large amounts of debt, which could inevitably lead to credit problems further down the road. Consumers who are in control of most aspects of their finances, but still feel like they could use additional help managing their debt burden, could certainly benefit from the assistance of a consumer credit counseling service.
  • How Do I Get Out of Debt?: Now that the national economy is beginning to recover and people are having a better time dealing with their personal finances, many consumers who found themselves sunk deep in debt over the last few years may be asking themselves the question, “How do I get out of debt?” Fortunately, there are a number of avenues consumers can take to get out of debt, each with benefits and drawbacks depending on how quickly people need to fix their financial problems.
  • 10 Tips to Avoid the Debt Trap: Have you ever thought about why so many of the people you know are struggling with debt? Do you ever wonder why banks keep lending to certain individuals, even when they are falling behind on their payments? Did you know that debt problems are a leading cause of major societal problems, such as stress, divorce and alcoholism?
  • Credit Management: Many consumers are finding themselves buried under a pile of mounting debt. With interest accumulating month after month in addition to late fees being charged, many consumers are finding it difficult to make just the minimum payments on their credit cards. Although this may seem like an endless battle, with a strict budget and some discipline there are credit management strategies and solutions that will allow consumers to reduce or even eliminate their debt.
  • Credit Card Debt Reduction: In recent months, many Americans have made a greater effort to seek credit card debt reduction and reduce the balances they owe, but some may not know where to start. Fortunately, there are several options available for consumers thathave a financial goal to achieve credit card debt reduction.
  • Credit problems: Paying down high levels of debt is one of the best ways to improve credit problems and increase one’s credit standing. But many people cannot do that so quickly, especially in this economy. About one-third of a credit score is based off of a credit utilization ratio, which is the total creditbalances divided by the total credit limits. A great target is to use no more than 30% of one’s available credit.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.

Debt Consolidation Solutions at Horizon Bank

Horizon Bank offers individuals the opportunity to consolidate their debt, simplify their monthly bill paying, and, in most cases, deduct the interest from their income tax returns.

According to Mike Foti, a Consumer Loan Officer, “Individuals who are ‘drowning’ in debt often have trouble making their monthly payments. In the case where they are only paying the minimum due each month, the total interest and the time necessary to pay off the debt seem like an uphill battle. What normally would take two years to pay off can more than double in time while the interest associated with the unpaid debt continues to escalate.”

Our staff may suggest a number of loan options to help our customers alleviate their debt problems. One option is a Home Equity Loan, also referred to as an “equity loan” or “second mortgage.” A Home Equity Loan – based on the difference between the homeowner’s equity and the home’s current market value – is a fixed loan amount available to help pay off your bills completely or, at least, pay off as much as possible. Most Home Equity Loans feature a fixed interest rate, which is typically substantially less than what you are currently paying on your credit card or auto loan.

Another option is a Home Equity Line of Credit – a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. Although the line of credit may be used for debt consolidation purposes, this product is best suited for long-term flexibility of borrowing and repayment.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of online cash advances and payday loans.

Analysis: EU hunts for quicker, sharper growth kick

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Slowly but surely, the European Union is shifting its message on promoting economic growth and is coming to the realization that it may have been looking for it in the wrong place.

The question is whether the bloc can come up with a strategy that convinces skeptical financial markets while keeping debt on a downward path.

For many months, the mantra has been that struggling euro zone countries must reduce budget deficits and carry out deep structural reforms – to labor markets, pension systems and via privatizations – to boost competition and stimulate growth.

The problem is that cutting spending and overhauling economies when they are already contracting tends to create a downward spiral, with the slowdown deepening and deficits becoming ever harder to reduce as a proportion of output.

What is more, the structural reforms EU policymakers are demanding – and which the likes of Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal are battling to implement – can take years to deliver a growth benefit, while in the short-run they tend to lead to social and political upheaval.

What the EU needs instead, economists and many policymakers agree, are measures that can stimulate growth more immediately in a region responsible for a fifth of global output.

As one EU official responsible for advising leaders on how to combat the crisis succinctly put it: Enough of the debt fetishism, its time for a proper stimulus.

Nobel-prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz added his voice to the debate last week, calling Europes debt consolidation strategy suicidal and pointing out that a pure austerity program had never restored health.

During a debate in Vienna, he urged wealthier EU countries such as Germany to boost investment in infrastructure, education and technology, which could deliver returns much greater than the cost of capital.

I hope … the debate will be what are the things we can do to promote growth rather than how do we strangle each other together, he said.

A focus on investment is attractive. While Italy was left unscathed after deferring its balanced budget goal by a year, the punishment meted out to Spain by the bond market, driving its borrowing costs higher since it raised its 2012 deficit target, shows significant loosening of fiscal policy is fraught with danger.

Even if governments were seriously contemplating significantly relaxing fiscal policy, such a change of tack would be counter-productive, said Deutsche Bank analysts Mark Wall and Gilles Moec.

NECESSARY BUT INSUFFICIENT

In recent days the bare bones of a strategy for stimulating growth have started to come together, with the intention of launching it at an EU leaders summit in late June.

The main focus is on increasing the capital of the European Investment Bank, the EUs long-term lending arm, to allow it to make bigger investments in infrastructure projects and related areas across the EUs 27 member countries.

The EIB financed EU projects worth around 70 billion euros in 2010, with the lending made on the basis of relatively small paid-in capital. By boosting the paid-in capital by only 10 billion euros ($13.2 billion), the banks lending could be greatly leveraged, delivering extra investment of up to 180 billion euros.

Olli Rehn, the European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, set out a proposal along those lines to EU member states earlier this month and the idea will be discussed by ministers in mid-May. Officials say the EIB, which has resisted the move in the past, is now prepared to go along.

I made a call on EU member states to increase the capital of the EIB, which would be the most convincing way of providing funding for necessary investment in infrastructure and innovation in Europe, Rehn told Reuters in a recent interview.

We dont have the luxury of time until the crisis is over. We need additional capital for the EIB for investment now, he said.

Such an initiative could help revive growth at the margins but it does not look like a game changer.

Put it against the more than 1 trillion euros created by the European Central Bank – which may have averted a credit crunch but has done little to revive a euro zone economy poised to slide back into recession – and the numbers look small.

Complementing austerity with some federally-funded investment schemes is becoming consensual, but we dont expect any quick sizeable effect on growth, the Deutsche Bank analysts said.

At the same time, the European Commission, the EUs executive, is exploring ways of redirecting EU structural funds, which are paid to poorer member states to help them improve their infrastructure, to deliver a quicker growth lift.

The EUs long-term budget set aside nearly 350 billion euros for structural and cohesion funds between 2007-2013, but only a fraction of that – a few billion – is likely to be redirected under the Commissions plan, which is still taking shape.

The Commission on Monday sought to play down what it called highly speculative figures about how much could be set aside for infrastructure investment, and said it remained focused on deficit reduction at the same time.

We are not talking about an alternative to fiscal consolidation, Commission spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde-Hansen told reporters. The issue is not either fiscal consolidation or growth, we need both.

Politically, there is no prospect of giving euro zone members much leeway on debt just as new fiscal rules to ensure deficits are kept to a common minimum are being established.

The fiscal pact is likely to remain broadly intact but, the path of deficit reduction is likely to be eased a little, said David Mackie, economist at JPMorgan in London.

He too predicted an expanded role for the European Investment Bank and more aggressive use of EU structural funds.

POLITICS IN PLAY

While it remains to be seen what EU leaders can come up with – and there is little at this stage to buoy financial markets to – there is certainly pressure to shift the rhetoric towards a more pro-growth agenda.

In the past week, governments in the Netherlands and Romania added to the long list of administrations that have been toppled while pursuing austerity drives.

With Francois Hollande, the growth-focused Socialist challenger, expected to win the run-off against Nicolas Sarkozy in the French presidential election on May 6, the moment is ripe for leaders to shift tack.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi has talked about a growth compact and at the weekend, German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed a boost in EIB capital, although she also reiterated the need for fiscal consolidation and structural reforms.

Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council and chairman of EU summits, wrote to EU leaders last week urging them to find common ground on a range of issues that could offer an economic stimulus, including energy efficiency and a single European patent, an agreement blocked for nearly 30 years.

The emphasis should now shift increasingly to prioritizing measures that can boost growth and jobs and a return to sustainable growth, he wrote, adding that it may be necessary to hold an informal summit in the coming weeks to maintain momentum between now and the next planned summit on June 28-29.

Officials indicate that extra gathering is likely to be held at the very end of May or the first day of June, leaving leaders four weeks to flesh out their growth-boosting ideas.

(Writing by Luke Baker, editing by Mike Peacock)

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of online cash advances and payday loans.

Buried in debt? How a credit union can help.

You’ll also want to check out the services available at the credit union you’re looking at. Do they offer some sort of debt consolidation or debt counseling service? Many credit unions have people that help members with these types of things.

Once you have those things, sign up for a membership there. Usually, this just means proving that you’re eligible for membership there and opening up a draft or savings account with a minimum balance, which is usually tiny. (At the credit union I am a member of, the minimum balance is $5.)

Then schedule an appointment. Often, you’ll have to pencil in an appointment with one of the people working at the credit union to look over your situation. If you’re unsure, ask for an appointment for a debt consolidation.

Be sure to bring all of the information you collected to this meeting. They’ll review it with you and help you to find any programs they might have that can help you cut your interest rates and monthly payments.

A credit union is a very useful tool for someone who is trying to get their debt load under control. Don’t neglect to use it.

This post is part of a yearlong series called “365 Ways to Live Cheap (Revisited),” in which I’m revisiting the entries from my book “365 Ways to Live Cheap,” which is available at Amazon and at bookstores everywhere. Images courtesy of Brittany Lynne Photography, the proprietor of which is my “photography intern” for this project.

Cash Cow Advances is a leading nationwide service provider of cash advances and payday loans.