Debt Settlement Escrow Rip Off

WARNING!: Debt Companies that Offer Escrow Accounts Will Grow Your Debt. He said, "what you do is make a small monthly payment and they put your money into the their ‘escrow account’ then the company your pays your debt out of the escrow account".I tried to warm him, that debt elimination via "escrow account" is one of the biggest rip-offs...I wrote this article on 'Debt Settlement Escrow Rip-Offs' over a year ago. I recently found it published on another blog. I forgot how accurate and informative it was until I read it posted by somebody else. If you've been considering a Debt Settlement Company that uses 'Escrow Accounts' be warned and don't. Read the full article here: http://escrowcompaniesonline.info/3-ways-debt-settlement-escrow-companies-will-hurt-you-financially/

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The Fear Of Credit Repair Self Help

I grew up in Michigan on both sides of the track.

Kalamazoo, Michigan was once a great manufacturing center of the Mid-West.

Kalamazoo had union jobs with good pay. General Motors, Up-John Pharmaceuticals, Checker Cab Company, Puch Mopeds and Gibson Guitars were some of the good jobs with excellent pay. Kalamazoo used to be your typical blue collar, Middle-Class town. Not anymore. The good jobs are gone for the most part. Now there is just empty factories where there used to be a great American way of life.

When I was a young child, my mother moved my brother and I across the State. We ended up on the west side of Detroit, In Detroit, I regularly had to deal with bullies (male and female).

Detroit was extreme. I was rudely awakened to this fact early. Bullies targeted, intimidated, and robbed me on the way to school, to and from the corner store, or just playing in my front yard. The Bullies of Detroit made my life a horrible daydream. Detroit, Michigan was rough, but those streets made me stronger. The bullies in Detroit gave me major drama. But I learned some very valuable lessons.

1. A bully loves a nice person. When I moved to Detroit I was a big 'softy'. I tried to be friends with the bullies - but I failed. The bullies saw me as easy money and took mine every time.
Bullies don't want a friend. Bullies want what their victim has.

2. A bully will only respect what they fear. Fear is what the bully understands. Bullies use fear against their victims because they understand the power of fear. Bullies are fear scavengers. Bullies prey on those who are mentally or physically weaker. This is an ugly fact of life.

3. The bully's real power is in their victims fear. For example, I estimate that 75% of Americans people are afraid to go to www.annualcreditreport.com to get their truly free credit report. Why? Because they are afraid of what they'll find.

A Consumers fear gives debt collectors the power to act as credit bullies. Fear gives credit bullies the confidence to place false and negative errors on consumer credit reports. Why? Because most consumers don't care to monitor their credit. Consumers normally don't do anything about removing false information on their credit reports. Every bully's power lies in the victims fear.

After a gritty, cold, and seemingly endless winter in Detroit, my mind was hardened. I wasn't going to be bullied anymore. The last straw was when a bully tried to rob my little Brother. Like a reflex, I smacked the bully so hard my brother later bragged that frost came out of the bullies mouth. That bully and I ended up being friends. I forced that bully to respect me. Actually, I forced that bully to respect my family. I was blessed with the reflex to protect my little brother.

As a Debt Warrior, I know from professional experience that many consumers are willing to surrender instead of waging war on those who threaten their families finances. I used to wonder why consumers would pay so much to Credit Repair Companies for something the consumer could do for themselves.

As I look back at the mean streets of Detroit Michigan and reconcile it with my professional mission, I see that consumers fear is what keeps them from learning how to repair their credit for themselves.

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"Liar Loans" Threaten To Prolong Mortgage Crisis

Blue Zoo,



Here's the problem. For years we've been told about the six c's of credit. Character, capacity to pay, collateral, conditions etc. Now, we find out these liars have been making loans and telling people that they don't have to worry. The borrowers wanted to trust and believe their broker and they accepted these sub-prime loans. Now all of America has a problem.
About Housing Crisis
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

15 Signs That You're Handcuffed By Debt

Here are the Top 15 Most Common Signs That You Are Handcuffed By Debt

1. The balance on your credit card is increasing while your monthly income is decreasing.

2. Your only paying the bare minimum on your credit card if even that.

3. You’re juggling bills. Your using credit cards to pay off “other” credit cards.

4. You have more credit cards then a gambler has poker chips.

5. You are very close to the limit on all of your credit cards.

6. You have started receiving phone calls from bill collectors.

7. You have no choice but to use credit cards for food and other necessities.

8. You use your card because it is your only source of money.

9. You are taking money out of your savings/retirement to pay off your monthly bills.

10. You are hiding your bills and purchases from your significant other.

11. You’re playing the card game by signing up for every credit card that sends you an unsolicited offer.

12. You have lost your job or know you are about to and have no idea on how you are going to pay off your bills.

13. You consistently charge more each month than you make in payments.

14. You have no idea how much you are really in debt and don’t want to know.

15. You have to work overtime just to keep up with your credit card payments.

Do you have a debt sign that is not covered on this list? Feel fee to leave a comment to add your number

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Are You A Shopaholic? 13 Ways To Tell

Marie is currently $35,000 in credit card debt.

She has a blended family two children of her own and her husband has one child. Marie pleaded for help. She admitted that she's a 'Shopaholic". After reading Marie's cry for help I realized that she's not the only Shopaholic that I know.

A Staford University study found that 17 million Americans are compulsive shoppers ["impulsive buyers"]. Nearly half of all Shopaholics are men.

Shopping Addiction causes Divorce. Psychology Today found that conflicts over money and spending is the #1 cause of divorce. My ex-wife's spending habits were the cause of many heated conflicts in my marriage.

Here are 13 ways to tell if you're a Shopaholic. Ask yourself the following 12 questions "YES" or "NO" honestly :). If you answer YES to more than 7 of 13 questions, you have compulsive shopping issues that may need to be worked out.

1. When I have money, I spend it - saving is for nerds. _____

2. I buy on impulse regularly. _____

3. Shopping is my way of relaxing. _____

4. Something inside me pushes me to go shopping. _____

5. I won't feel 'normal' if I haven't or don't go shopping this week. _____

6. I Make more purchases than I should - it's my guilty pleasure. _____

7. I hide some (if not all of my purchases) from my family and friends. _____

8. I lie about the price I paid for an Item to my family and friends
to hide my shopping addiction. _____

9. I'm easily tempted into buying. _____

10. I consider every sale
even if I (or my family members) don't need, can't afford or
won't use the products or services. _____

11. My credit cards are maxed out due to my shopping
and spending habits. _____

12. I over-shop. I buy more than I need and I USUALLY don't
need all that I've purchased. _____

13. I don't make a budget - I know I WON'T to stick to it. _____

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How To Deal With Unexpected Expenses

Thank GOD that Tropical Storm Fay didn't gather enough strength to become a Hurricane!

That's the good news! Thanks for your prayers and positive thoughts!

The Hurricane Season of 2004 destroyed the marriages of many couples in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas.

This year, during Tropical Storm Fay we we're blessed. We lost power for a few hours - no worries. We were also blessed to have wireless access. We forgot batteries, but the kids pitched in and let us borrow some from their toys. So all in all, we were blessed. Thanks to WFTV and Meteorologist Tom Terry for great storm tracking and prediction.

Now the bad news. As you can see from the photo [below] in addition to power we lost a Windshield - a totally unexpected situation and expense. We all have unexpected expenses from time to time.

In this post I'll share how to deal with Unexpected Expenses.

1. Don't Panic. A common side effect of unexpected events is a sense of panic. Panic often results in fleeing. Fleeing is the 'flight' in the "fight or flight" response. Eckhart Toll in his thought provoking book The Power of Now coached me on how to live in the 'NOW'. I've never been one to panic. To me Panic is an overreaction to a threat. How do you stop yourself from becoming a victim of panic?

2. Get on with it! In the 'Eye' of every Tropical Storm or Hurricane Meteorologists, find calm. Inside a force that contains up to 135 mile an hour winds, lightning, and tornado's exist calm. Going deeper into the event that caused the unexpected expense will help you find calm.

To get into the calm of your unexpected expense take a second and ask yourself the following questions;

• What options do I have?
  
• What resources do I have (friends, money, etc)
• What outcome do I desire?

3. Put yourself in the picture. Part of our flight response is to take ourselves out of the picture. Modern society is hooked on ease. We pay for everything because it makes life easier. Most people can replace their own oil, but we don't. Most people can make a better meal than any restaurant but that doesn't us from eating out.

Americans [in general] pay for stuff that we can do for ourselves. There's nothing wrong with it. But many Americans don't bother to see if it's something they can do for themselves - like debt settlement and credit repair. Anyway. My point is, that by putting yourself directly in the center of the problem, by going into the eye of the storm, you step into a comfort zone and find the calm.

As you begin asking yourself the 4 questions above, you'll start as a novice and over-time you'll become an expert [if you choose].
Back to the broken windshield. Here's where we are so far. We immediately called our insurance company. They gave us some options. Next we teamed up and started shopping around for Auto Glass replacement quotes. Some of the quotes were as expensive and offensive at $500. Don't be afraid or ashamed to negotiate and always be willing to walk away from any price gouging predator.

Of course we looked the option of replacing the windshield ourselves. We seriously considered it. While in college I replaced my windshield in the dead of the Michigan Winter. We know we could replace it ourselves. Ultimately we decided that we'd go with a local company for $175 (if we drive the car in for the replacement).

Based on the our options, resources, and desired outcome, we decided to make our lives easier and pay for the replacement. But you can bet if I couldn't find any reasonable quotes for the repair, I'd be out in the rain replacing the Windshield - myself, during Tropical Storm Fay.

Hunker down, be blessed, safe and check back here for sustainability tips and resources for dealing with unexpected expenses as a result of a natural disaster.

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How To Deal With Debt Before Divorce

She Wanted Off!

When any Love Boat goes out into the Sea of Love, it faces the threat of an eventual leak. to keep with the metaphor, consider debt was as water leaking into your Love Boat. If you don't plug the leak, you won't stop the debt from sinking your boat.

Debt occurs early in relationships. For example why is it an emotional prerequisite for many women, that their man spend at least a months salary on her Engagement Ring? A smarter choice is for the future Bride and Groom to set a budget and try not to exceed it. Next save for the wedding ring and purchase it for cash.

Most men and women finance their wedding rings.

I financed my ex-wife's engagement ring. I paid 23% interest for it as well. My credit was excellent so I was robbed on the loan. I was a much younger man who knew nothing about Compound Interest.

I know many women who buy or finance their own engagement ring. This is not a smart thing to do. If the man loves you he will buy the ring - not finance it, nor allow you too. If he truly loves you, he probably hopes to die before you. If his hope comes true, he wouldn't want to leave you with any debt. If he does not really love you, or he falls out of love with (or you with him) you could be paying the debt for a financing a failed relationship.

As you can see debt may rock your Love Boat (and your world) early on. My ex-wife and I had a 20 year run on the Sea of love. In the end debt sank our marriage.


How To Deal With Debt Before A Divorce

1. Be honest. My ex-wife is a well spoken woman. She's also very prideful. She's friendly but ultimately a private person. She loved to rob Peter to Pay Paul. We had enough money if we lived below our means.

I was honest and told my ex-wife that I was concerned about how much debt she had. I was also very candid about her lack of care and concern for her finances. She was not pleased. But I had to tell her my concerns. I'm not promising that if you're honest with your spouse or partner they will thank you later. They may be prideful and hate feeling criticized. Tough. Please be honest with your spouse about your debt and theirs? This will save you a lot of financial headaches in the long run.

2. Be Urgent. There is no bigger mistake in believing that you spouse or partner will change their spending habits, without you urging them to. Don't float around a whirlwind of debt pretending like everything is OK. Don't be subtle about your debt issues in your marriage. Tell your partner or spouse directly. Be clear about your concerns.

3. Be Resolved. (especially when the Sea of Love gets rocky). Let your spouse or partner know what you intend to do about your debt issues. Try to come to a written resolve together. Form a Battle-Plan and budget your way out of debt. If your spouse or partner won't do anything about their debt - then you must.

I've seen man Love Boats sink slowly into the sea of debt. That's why we've produced Debt Settlement Video Courses . Our courses help you prevent debt from ruining your marriage.

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3 Ways To Deal With Debt Before Divorce

What do you do when the one you said "I do" to says "I don't" - anymore?

1. Take the person seriously and be prepaired. Get all of your bills organized. If you are a co-signer on any loan or line of credit, discuss how that will be taken care of. You may have to argue about your debt, but it's best to get it out and in the open before you find yourself responding to a Petition for dissolution of marriage in court.

2. Demand that all communication be in writing. Divorce, despite good intentions usually ends up being emotional and mental tourture. Speaking on the phone or in person with your ex is not recommended. Please get all divorce communication in writing?

3. Don't try to be the nice person regarding money. If you're spouse or partner wants to leave you (or suggest as that they might) or you are concerned about them leaving - don't lend them any money. Don't co-sign for a loan and don't sign anymore leases with them. This person has already indicated their intent to desert you. Don't give your ex anything.

The sad fact is that once a person decides on a divorce, you are on your own and you have to start acting like it.

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Protecting Your Credit During A Divorce

I'm going through a divorce right now.

That's right, 20 years of marriage is coming to a bitter-sweet end. My soon to be ex-wife decided that she is ready to move on. I honestly wish her the best.

I'm speaking about this not to defame her but to share that unexpected events happen to us all.

50% of marriages today end in divorce. Divorce is hard to avoid these days. So what can you do to proctect your credit during a divorce? I'll tell you in just a second. But first let me get my side out.

I pulled my ex-wife and her then four children off of welfare. I helped put her through school and was a full-time Dad. She recieved her Bachelors Degree and started working in the Insurance Industry for one of the nations biggest companies.

Everything was going well in our lives until the hurricane season of 2004.

Charile, Jean and the gang were beating Florida like it sole the election. The storms scared my ex-wife out of Florida. Sshe moved back to Michigan to look for work, leaving me with all of the bills. Hey, I was trying to keep my marriage intact.

So, I'm paying the car loan, the house payment, the utilities, the food, everything. She was flying back and forth from Florida to Michigan having a fall fling with an old crush. I was heart-broken. I tried to get counseling and it was working, until her Mother died suddenly. My marriage was in ruins and we were morning the loss of one of our families Matriarchs. After her Mother passed that was it. She was moving back to Michigan with or with out me.

She insisted on moving our family from Florida to Michigan, with no job, no home, no income - nothing.

I said "that's a crazy idea". I told her that the manufacturing sector is Michigans bread and butter and that the state economy was about to plummet. I forwared her emails about the economy there to show her objective sources. She still insisted. So I agreed and put in my 3 month notice to my boss to let him know. I told my wife that I'd move back to Michigan to keep my family together.

She Said "never-mind. I don't want you to move back." I was puzzeled. I did what she demanded and then she changed her mind - about me going back to Michigan with her. So she proposes a 'Separation'. I say OK. We decide to tell the kids. That's when she said "I want a divorce".

I was blown away

The kids were shocked. They expected a separation. I had told them that things were looking bad months before. But they did not expect to hear divorce. The kids and I realized that she meant business. So today, after a 3 year break-up, my ex-wife decided she's ready to move on.

She was drowing in debt

Her credit was horrible. She had credit cards all with default interest rates. She was without a job and her car loan was in repossession status. She had considered Bankruptcy, but I decided against it about one year prior.

We decided to separate our money shortly after we got married. My credit score was 730 my beacon was good enough to co-sign a no money down loan on a new car (but they got me on the interest rate). So I was doing well and my credit was very healthy. What I didn't know what how far in debt she was and how that would make my life extreamly stressful.

The first thing you can do is take your husband or wife serious when they say "I want a divorce". Always take it seriously and protect your credit. Over the next few post, to help you, I'll tell you what you can do before, during, and after a divorce.

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Credit Card Monster - FSU

This is a great video produced by the Florida State Student Government Association. It's a great video to show anyone who has a student in college. It's also great for anyone wanting to learn more about credit card debt from an objective source.

Credit Card Debt Settlement Question 5 of 10

What minimum monthly payment are you making on your credit card? What percentage of your TOTAL debt are you paying each month? You'll be shocked when you learn the truth in this video.

As part of our launch of DEBT INTELLIGENCE DAY [July 31, 2008] DEBT WARRIORS are sharing what the vast majority of Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation Companies will never tell you.

DEBT WARRIORS know that Consumers can settle their debt [by and for] themselves, without going into debt to do it.

This video DEBT WARRIOR J. Carlton Ford asks Credit Card Debt question 5 of 10.

Any reputable Credit or Debt Counselor and any respected Financial Advisor will ask these questions.

Don't let debt defeat you.

Credit Card Debt Settlement Question 5 of 10

In this video, you'll find question 5 of 10 in your free "Credit Check-Up" Credit Card Debt Analysis.

Remember Debt Intelligence Day, July 31 2008. Make sure to subscribe to receive updates from DEBT WARRIORS.

He Was Threatened With Death

Albert Einstein stated, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them". Cedric created a problem for himself by not slamming the phone down and not speaking to this Debt Collector. Cedric's paradigm was to 'work it out' with the Debt Collector. But Debt Collector had more a vicious paradigm.

Debt Negotiations are rarely friendly.

Cedric Darrett was living in a run-down Motel when a Debt Collector called his cell phone. The Debt Collector stated that Cedric owed over $2,000 on a debt. Cedric was torn between wanting to correct the record and trying to be cordial to the Debt Collector on the other end of the call. Cedric was making a common mistake. He needed to change his paradigm.

A paradigm is the way one thinks about issues [a thought process]. Stephen R. Covey in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People taught me to change my own paradigms. This has helped me adjust to the cruel and unusual world of debt negotiation. The paradigm shift has helped me save many clients hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Back to Cedric. The Debt Collector first threatened to have Cedric arrested for the debt. This is a common negotiations trick [a big lie]. You can not be jailed for a debt. Debt is a Civil Legal issue - not a Criminal Offense. When Cedric would not agree to pay, the Debt Collector applied for credit in Cedric's name. This tactic would leave the Judge dumb-founded.

The thing that forced Cedric to change his paradigm was when the Debt Collector threatened to kill Cedric. Cedric took the threat seriously and immediately called his local Sheriff. Cedric reported that the Debt Collector said "If I meet with you, I'll have to kill you".

When the Debt Collector threatened Cedric, that was it. Cedric's paradigm shifted from cooperation to confrontation. A confrontation paradigm is what is required to win your war on debt.

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A Debt Collectors Threats

Last week I was telling you the story of Cedric Darrett. He was living in with his two children in a weekly rate Motel in the San Francisco, CA Bay Area. Cedric was stressed about his life situation and worried about how he would bring a safe home to his family. Then Cedric got the horrible call from Attorney Collection Services. The collector who called Cedric was more than aggressive. This was a Debt Collection Terrorist hell-bent on forcing Cedric to pay a bill that Cedric had no proof of.

Instead of discussing the details of the debt the collector made threats. Rather than send the collector a payment for a debt he knew nothing about, Cedric did what we instruct all of our clients to do.

In Operation One DEBT WARRIORS show you the proven attack method that stops Debt Collector Harassment. In this this Operation, DEBT WARRIORS show consumers how to fight back and use the specific Consumer Protection Laws to stop 3rd Party Debt Collector Harassment. This video course will be free, but only until the end of August 2008 at http://www.debtwarriors.com/.

Back to Cedric. He was in a War On Debt. The threats of the Debt Collector got so bad that Cedrick had to file a Police Report. I'll tell you more of the shocking threats and how it all turned out in the next few days.

If you have a Debt Collection nightmare to share we'd love to hear it. Don't hesitate to leave us a comment below.

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