Saturday, November 29, 2008

How-To - Protect Yourself on Black Friday

Beware of scrooges as you head out to do your holiday shopping in the coming weeks. They want to steal more than your good cheer. They want to steal your money, credit card information, and even your identity. As the lines at the mall pile up with people looking to cash in on deals, there will undoubtedly be some people out there looking to cash in on your naivety.

With the increase in people, merchandise, and blindingly good deals you may become distracted and let your guard down. Don't. Be aware. I recently read an article titled "Low Prices, High Identity Theft on Black Friday" that listed some steps you can take to protect yourself.

When headed to the storefront:

* Take only what you'll need - Avoid carrying all of your credit cards or personal identification. Never carry your social security card.
* Watch for shoulder surfers- Thieves are sneaky and quick. It only takes a second for them to copy down your credit card information, and some even take pictures with their cell phones.
* Write "Check Photo ID" on your credit card - In case your card is stolen, this can prevent thieves from using your card in stores.

And don't think you are completely safe if you plan to shop online. Also in the article on identity theft they stated that "This year, the National Retail Federation estimates that nearly half of consumers will shop online with more than 61 million shopping while at work. This leads to the potential that your personal information could be spread to more than one computer."

Some tips to help you protect yourself from cyber predators include:

* Make highly secure passwords - Make sure passwords use letters, numbers, and other characters.
* Never email personal information - This should be self explanatory...email is not guaranteed to be secure.
* Beware of unsolicited emails - If you get unsolicited emails from an online merchant, don't click on any links; use search engines or go directly to the site.

So the moral of this post is not to discourage anyone from shopping. In fact with the current state of our economy I don't think anyone would encourage you to not spend money. But just be aware. Being educated about the ways in which identity theft occurs is the first step to making sure you are not a victim. Also if you are a merchant it helps to stay up to date on the latest scams and tactics so you can protect your customers as well as your business.

~Douglas J. Mack, President

For information on the payments industry visit http://www.wemsk.com

Payex is The Payment Solutions Expert offering credit card processing, gift and loyalty cards, check protection, e-commerce, pre-paid and merchant funding solutions. Give us a call at 888-PAYEX4U today and let us see if we can lower you processing cost absolutely free!

Remove Collections From Your Credit Report

You must dispute a collection to remove it from your credit report. A dispute needs to be filed directly with the credit bureaus. A dispute letter must be sent to each bureau. In your letter you have to identify the mark you are challenging and explain why it is inaccurate and should be erased from your report.

Upon receipt of your letter the bureaus will conduct an investigation into the item. If the challenged item is verified then a credit repair service can be very helpful. This service will be able to use advanced techniques such as; escalated dispute information requests, debt validation, and creditor direct intervention.

What is a collection?

Your account will go into this after 6 months or more of delinquency. It is a lenders last resort to recover payment. Most lenders have some form of in house service. However many also will use an outside agency and/or sell your debt. These agencies will either work with lenders or purchase your debt outright. An agency is often brought in to collect on delinquent accounts and they are paid a percentage of every dollar recovered.

Be aware that if you just pay, the item will still remain on your credit report. It will change the status of the mark but it will not be removed from your report. Future lenders will still see the mark as a derogatory item even when paid. In sum you can remove collections from your credit report. You do not have to live with bad credit items for 7 years.

For more about how to remove a credit card debt collection from your credit report or to see how you can remove NCO Financial, a common collection agency, visit us.

Increasing Credit Scores Part 10 - Key Credit Repair Weapon Revealed

You probably have the experience of missing a few credit payments. And lenders often automatically include a fee charge for non payment, this being the admin fees for your default account which will eventually require more follow through effort from the lender. In addition, your lender will include interest charges on the outstanding amounts as well. This is penalty for not paying your bills on time thereby incurring a certain amount of interest. To compound this scenario, worst of all you have created a ding on your credit, and hence a bad record in your credit report. If you ignore this outstanding balance and let it accumulate, expect to see your credit score reduce significantly.

Getting that Waiver is not the issue. Ego is.
You have a sure win choice. But you may not use it due to your ego. You could in actuality reduce or remove those late fee charges and additional interest charges in most cases. Call up the lender or your banker, and you probably will be waived of the charges. Lenders want to get paid, and if they believe that you will pay your bill more quickly by waiving the late fee and interest charges, they will more often than not remove the fee in exchange for prompt payment.

Face Up The Embarrassment And Salvage Your Credit Report Score.
The issue here is not how to get the charges waived, but more so on how you work around that huge ego of yours and rationalize between saving face and money. For some people, even the thought of asking for waiver over the phone is beyond them. This is also one key reason why some people choose to enlist the assistance of credit repair companies instead as getting a third party to help smooth out the embarrassment of asking lenders for grace periods, chargers waivers, negotiations are much easier than doing it themselves. Obtaining waivers on behalf of clients is the credit repair company top weapon as the first step in their repair service.

You Gain More Financially.
The greatest benefits of overcoming the embarrassment and doing the above yourself are that you are more committed to pay your bills in future, more soul searching and finally you do not incur any additional charges from credit repair companies. The best kept secrets in the credit Repair industry is that getting waivers for fee charges is the first and key services that they perform on behalf of clients. So imagine the amount you could have saved, your credit repair company service fee not to mention the late fee and interest charges if you could do it yourself, and at no cost too.

Joey Lee is a CFP and MBA with 17 years of banking, financial, business & marketing experience and a Platinum Ezine Author. Learn authentic Credit Repair skills and comprehensive information on Credit Repair Tips, credit reports, credit scores at CreditRepairSkills.org

Use Your Credit Cards to Cash in on Holiday Bargains

Have you finished your holiday shopping yet? Probably not. If you are like most people you are still formulating the list of items you want to buy and trying to figure out just what you can afford this holiday season. While you may not have thought of it yet, your credit cards may be able to help you out in making some of your purchases a little more affordable.

Seasonal Discounts

The first thing you should do is look at that last credit card statement that came in. In addition to your bill and list of charges you made, there likely is also some seasonal advertising on that statement. You see, credit card companies work with stores to offer special discounts and deals to their customers when they use their credit card. If you don't pay attention to those deals, you may miss out.

Cash Back Rewards Credit Cards

Do you have a cash back rewards credit card? These are a great way to get a little something back for the holiday shopping you need to do. Depending on where you use the card you can get anywhere from a penny to a nickel back for every dollar you spend. All those pennies and nickels add up quickly and will soon be a nice check back in your hand.

Shopping Rewards Credit Cards

Shopping rewards credit cards are usually from a particular store that you like and have purchased a lot from in the past. Have you paid attention to any of the perks of this card? From discounts on your purchases to rebates on the items you buy this season, you may be able to save a lot by using the cards you have for the stores you love.

Travel Rewards Credit Cards

If you like to see the world, or just would like to see another area of the country, you may want to put your holiday spending on your travel rewards credit cards. This time of year the points can add up quickly and before you know it, you will be able to cash in on a trip to somewhere.

If you don't have any of these types of credit cards to enjoy the perks from, maybe it's time you did. Do a little comparison-shopping and find the best credit cards that will offer you perks you can use.

Steve Sikes is an MBA and writes articles on credit cards and other financial products. To read other articles and compare and apply online for top credit card offers for low interest, balance transfers, rewards, cash back , business, airline miles, you will want to visit http://www.CreditCardWave.com

Using Credit Cards to Get More Out of Black Friday Sales

For many people, Black Friday shopping is a ritual. They start on Thanksgiving by getting the circulars that are advertising the sales that will be offered Friday morning. Many people then set up a plan to camp out at those stores, sometimes in freezing temperatures, so they can be the first in line when it comes time to shop and get the limited specials.

There is a better, and warmer way to get in on great holiday sales. Use your credit cards.

Learn What Your Credit Card Offers

Many credit card companies have seasonal specials of their own hoping you will make your holiday purchases on their cards. Take a little time out today to log on to your credit card company website and look for any of the specials they are advertising. You may find a list of stores they are working with to offer something a little extra on your Black Friday shopping. Perhaps they will offer double or triple points or cash back for the purchases you make with your card through select stores.

Find the Black Friday Deals

Next you need to do a little research to find out what Black Friday deals are out there for you to take advantage of. Make a list of the ones that you are most interested in. Now see if any of those stores are also companies that your credit card company is offering a special savings with. This way you can double or triple up on rewards when it's time to buy.

Start Shopping

One thing you need to remember when it comes to Black Friday sales is that they start at the crack of early. Generally they begin at 12:01 A.M. on Friday morning, so you need to stay up late (or get up real early) to make sure you can get in on the online deals before they are sold out.

Cyber Monday

Just in case you don't get all the shopping you had hoped to done on Black Friday, there is also Cyber Monday shopping. The Monday after Black Friday has become the biggest day for Internet sales of the year and many companies will be offering special sales this day as well.

Steve Sikes is an MBA and writes articles on credit cards and other financial products. To read other articles and compare and apply online for top credit card offers for low interest, balance transfers, rewards, cash back , business, airline miles, you will want to visit http://www.CreditCardWave.com

The Call to Debt Counseling Help is All on You

If through the financial shadows (that you casted yourself thanks to haphazard habits) you find yourself dwelling and drifting without any glimmer of hope, know that all it takes to cease your lost status is a simple howl, a mere call for help. "And to who am I howling at," you may be asking? Well, it's to those who can howl back, find your location and save you from further financial turmoil - none other than debt and credit counselors. And as a pack of financial servicing individuals who are more than willing to provide their hand and lead you out of debt, you can rest assured that you're in the right hands here.

Within their reach is the ability to not only heal you, but also prepare you. What does this imply? Simply, your financial wounds will be assessed and mended accordingly. And, additionally, you will actually be informed of what it takes to be financially responsible and grounded.

What Can Debt Counseling Help Do For You?

In all honestly, quite a bit. Debt counseling assists in more ways than you'd probably think or hope. Not only does debt counseling aid you in getting out of debt, but it also helps you to figure out what actually placed you into debt in the first place. Subsequently, this will allow you to reduce your self-inflicted chances of getting in over your head once again. What's even better here is that some debt counseling professionals will speak with your creditors as to engineer and/or renegotiate current interest rates on your various debt or credit card balances.

To your benefit, and if spoken to with enough astute financial grace, you can easily gain waived penalties for all of those late payments that have caused your balances to significantly balloon, almost to the point of bursting.

Continuing Debt Counseling Abilities For You

Another major perk that comes along with calling out for debt counseling help is the time it will take. Basically, you get the best deal as far as how long it takes to rid yourself of debt is concerned. Instead of organizing and clearing the debt yourself (which could easily take more time than what you have to give) you can allow debt counseling hands to help and direct you to quickest, most efficient way possible to end your debt dilemma.

Consider especially the way in which you've been paying off your debt - all through mere minimum payments. As you can find out through a debt counseling service, this is not the way to go about clearing your debt slate clean. If anything, it's the worst and most inefficient idea possible. What you need to do is consider that if you have been paying debt this way and were planning to continue with this method, what you'd have is stagnant debt. This implies that it would take far too long, upwards of 20 some years, to pay off a good sized balance; not even the principal of the loan would be chipped away at or reduced.

The Choice Is All On You

Clearly, the wise choice would be to take up the option of debt counseling. As it is, all it takes is a call, a yell to let these services know that you are in need and debt's shadow is hovering over, above and behind you. To not pick debt counseling would be a poor choice. Ponder with financial healing in mind here. Think of getting help to fix you up now, but also to correct your ill financial ways with permanence in mind, instilling sound financial plans for you to harbor and use the rest of your life.

So, don't hesitate. Howl out loud and call for assistance, for debt counseling help is all around and ready to lend a helping hand or two; what do you have to lose other than your debt?

Debt Settlement Warnings - For Those in a Bind

If you're in a highly shaky financial position and debt has become something that's been put off more than dealt with face to face then it's likely you're in a serious bind. The financial shackles have you and because of this you've been unable to pay your bills and credit card balances on time, if at all. Yet, this is something that needs to be addressed and corrected as soon as possible. For letting this continue where shackles could easily constrict you to the point of having to file for bankruptcy would be one of the worst cases to financially be in.

Yet, you can unlock yourself from the bind and shackles you've placed yourself in. And one way to do this, as you've discovered already, is the choice of debt settlement. It is one of the finest options before having to file for bankruptcy and it's used by many individuals and couples in a bind.

Help With Debt Settlement?

There is undeniably much help found with the service of debt settlement. Yet, there are also some serious problems attached with this service, especially the companies who offer them. Sure, it would be ideal to have a helping hand when it comes to getting yourself settled with your debt, but take heed before seeking that outstretched hand. The price that you'd pay for reaching too quickly will be hefty and worthy of regret.

Take To Mind The Fees Involved

If you're curious as to how much you will pay for debt settlement services then start looking and asking now. The sad truth is that most companies will never actually give you a straightforward answer. Why is this the case? Easily enough, the fees of the industry are constantly altered and, as such, can change literally in a heart beat's notice. Charges for fees can be placed before you in two ways: either through a percentage of the total debt that is paid before you actually start to accumulate savings or through a percentage of the debt savings upon settling (also factoring in sign-up and monthly service charges). Another less often used charging approach is through a flat monthly fee that lasts the span of the program.

And what's even worse is that the debt settlement industry itself questions the challenge in outlining payments and fees that are set in stone.

Considering The Prospect of Unreliability

With the financial structure that could easily be improved and better blueprinted, realize that there is some unreliability to consider. Even beyond the aspects involving servicing fees and charges, the prospect of unreliability comes in the form of questionable services overall. A negotiation of debt is what's supposed to take place, yet what most don't know is that many unscrupulous companies do is withdraw from the escrow account that you are saving money in.

In reality, there is no settling that takes from the get go at all. Additionally to your detriment, the promise of debt settlement company X taking calls from collections agencies can easily cause you harm and lead you directly toward legal complications. This is so thanks to creditors typically escalating accounts once they're aware their client has hired a debt settlement company.

With all the setbacks that can easily come with debt settlement services, just be sure it's your last, best option before bankruptcy. If you must, be dead set on finding a credible and accredited company to lend you their helping hands.

The Welcoming of Debt Counseling For Financial Improvement

If problems in paying your bills in a timely manner are persistent and you're at your wits end with all your debt, then what you might need is a helping hand, just a bit of help. And, here, help for you comes in the form of what's best known as debt counseling. In the world of debt counseling you will usually come across two options to mull over. Of them include debt counseling companies that give advice and assistance for a fee or period of payments for their services and then there are companies that provide assistance for free, of absolutely no charge.

In either case, both types of companies offer their services for one reason - for people like yourself. For people who are struggling with their short term and long term financial obligations, these debt counseling services extend their hands and aim to heal your financial wounds as well as keep you optimally healthy.

A Word of Caution Here

As it is, you learned a lesson by getting yourself into debt - you should have sought the services of a financial planner or debt counselor beforehand, simply for planning's sake and preemptive action. But, it's too late for that now. Currently, you're stuck. And being that you're already in a tight spot you really need to take heed to a word of caution here. You need to know that any debt counseling company that you select could very well be, in some way, connected to your creditors to who you're indebted to. And this, no matter their ties, may cause a serious conflict of interest.

So, what you (the debtor) need to do is ask your prospective debt counselors face to face if they have any affiliation to any of your creditors. Now, know that your debt counselors to whom you ask this should be more than willing to disclose who they are, who they represent or who they have relations with, both in writing and verbally.

On Topic of Time and Debt Counseling

Note that everyone is distinctly different concerning debt counseling. Depending on the weight and substantialness of any one person's debt predicament, it can take between a short amount of time to an extended amount of time to finish counseling successfully. The fact is that some individuals are receptive to advice and can move on quickly, yet others aren't' so fortunate and act stubbornly when it comes to healing their financial lives up.

Overall, how quickly an indebted person recovers from his or her financial troubles is up to them alone.

But, Know That You're Not Alone Here

Through the process of debt counseling you are far from doing all this fixing and planning by yourself. You have, obviously enough, counselors that can lend their hands and minds. What they will do is look at your income along with all your piled up bills and then conduct an analysis of your current financial situation. All trouble areas will be checked out and a resolution will be mapped out for you to follow. Even further financial services will be suggested for you to better improve your financial health.

If anything you need to be welcoming to the option of debt counseling and all it has to offer. Just be selective with who you opt to go with and be certain they're genuinely established in the fiscal assistance world.

How You Spend Affects Everything

Growing credit card debt is a very real problem in the United States today. For the average person this debt grows larger and larger every single day. This situation creates problems not only in the credit card world, but in other areas as well.

US credit debt effects not only the consumer in their pocket book, but also in mortgages, bankruptcies, home and business foreclosures, automobile and student loans. As credit card debt in the United States continues to soar out of control, more and more people are seeking the services of credit counseling agencies and consolidation loans, to fend off the high interest fees and drowning in credit card debt.

More Americans than ever are taking drastic steps to get back on their feet financially. If you do not think the debt is that bad, you need to reexamine the information and statistics. The average person carries a monthly balance of around $1000.00. Of this amount, by making only the minimum monthly payments, it would take 22 years and more money in interest to pay off this debt.

The household average in the US is around $8500.00, and this is just the average on one credit card. Since the 90's this amount has tripled in size. The average credit card holder in the US, pays over $1200 a year just in interest fees alone. This money could easily cover your rent or mortgage payment for a single month, have you really looked at this information realistically? What happens if you ever have to worry about job security?

Have you thought about how you will pay your bills then? The average interest rates for credit cards in the US is around 18.9%, and it keeps on escalating. Some credit cards have introductory rates as high as 23%, and for those people with bad credit this rate can climb to an unbelievable 30%.

Many people would never tell their friends or family how much money they owe on their credit cards, nor would they tell them if they were 30 days past due on making their payments or facing possible collection action.

This is a very real problem and it has a flow down effect on such businesses as real estate, auto, banking and stock market. Effects of bad credit do not only involve the consumers, but it causes many economic problems as well.

There is much more to explore on the subject of consumer loans for bad credit. Today you too can gain from our years of experience, visit everlife.com.

Credit Debt Counseling - What This is & How it Works

Effective credit debt counseling costs you nothing but can earn you a chance of establishing your finances like never before. Where it helps you to accommodate your expenses with an effective budget analysis it also helps you to get an appropriate process for your debt settlement, a process which is convenient and easy to tackle when it comes to the payment of the debt. In this article you will learn how it is possible and how credit debt counseling actually works.

Many of us find it easy to get on with consolidation or any other type of settlement which comes first or on what the agent played the trick. This is the place where first halt sign should appear to you and you should ask yourself, hello, where are my financial details, what if you have a similar interest rate on all of your credit cards or your debts are huge they will only help you to get a larger amount to be paid than anything else.

But when you ask for credit debt counseling, you will get a better look on all the options you have. If you are looking for a consolidation it offers you two types of consolidation one is that you can choose to go with a restructured loan which applies a lower rate of interest and as well as a complete waive off on your late installment submissions and also remove the amount you have to pay in shape of over due payment penalties.

On the other hand the option is itself the debt settlement which is a one step above from bankruptcy and will work fine and risk free if your debt is unsecured because according to the process you need to fell short for monthly dues to make a point that you are unable to payback all the amount and then to negotiate with your creditor to set a lower amount to be paid. It works fine if it is unsecured as I told you before but just think if you have a secured loan, your creditor will obviously claim to sell your security to regain his amount, although it has a rear chance for occurrence but it may happen and risk is what is not good for your future credibility.

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Don't Be Too Quick to Blame Credit Cards

If the adverts for debt consolidation, loans, help with credit and the like plaguing the television, and news of homes being repossessed and people having their belongings taken away by the bailiffs where anything to go by - it is no wonder that most of us feel that credit cards are the long road to ruin when it comes to finances and finance problems!

There is no denying that the ease of being able to swipe or type in a code when you're at the till separates you from actual money, so it is easier for people to fall into the trap of spending money they don't actually have. Some of us put the thought to the back of our mind and spend anyway; some of us buy many little things like a bottle of wine for an evening and a new DVD because it's on offer. However when you're spending on these items with money that's not actually in your bank account the debt racks up and you've got more to pay back than ever at the end of the month.

However if you are confident that you can maintain your self discipline, and make the repayments without getting into bad spending habits with your new plastic, a credit card can really be an asset to your wallet!

The upsides to a credit card are more than just the shopping trips you need to go on. Any unexpected payments that are expensive, like an annual energy bill or car insurance policy you can pay for this on your neatly trimmed credit card and then choose how quickly you pay the amount back. If you need some time to breath, pay minimum repayments, if you're doing fairly well get a big chunk of it paid off so you can forget about it!

A well maintained credit card allows for you to grab a "buy now pay next month" on pretty much anything you like, so long as you are sensible about it. Experts recommend opening an online banking account so you can keep a live up to date log of your spending habits so you're able to keep track of where you need to make adjustments etc.

By keeping a clear head, a credit card can really be the helpful little tool it was originally designed to be.

For credit cards be sure to make sure you look into all of the different credit card deals available. 0% credit cards can really make the difference on the day you are caught out on a payment you can't ignore.

Store Card? Try a Credit Card

Using a store card may seem like the easiest option, you have lots of wonderful in store offers available to card holders and it is interest free for six months, where is the problem? Like most great things, some of these wonderful deals can have very serious and expensive repercussions if the repayments are not met in full and on time.

Even though the offer may seem too good to be true this Christmas it most probably is when it comes to taking out a store card. There are hundreds of financial offers available over the Christmas period and one of the best methods is to simply take a credit card out.

Some credit cards offer the same interest free on all new transactions with some offering the rate for a further six months. Usually, when the store card's interest free rating has expired you can expect an average rate of 27 per cent as opposed to a credit cards average rating of 16.9 per cent, a little under half the amount.

An expert ahs said that "Store cards can be a useful way of qualifying for discounts but when it comes to borrowing they are a rip-off"

Many people who pay off the debt before the interest free period finishes actually benefit from the store card but one in ten people who took out store cards last Christmas are still in fact paying it off now.

Applying for store cards is the same as applying for credit cards, be careful if you plan to apply to many as it will have a devastating effect on your credit rating.

Finding interest free credit cards is easy, use comparison sites and compare credit cards across the market, after all this you will need to decide which of the cards you will use.

Leave Your Credit Cards at Home This Christmas

One of the simplest methods to limit your spending this Christmas and protect your bank balance is to carry your cash around with you according to a recent study by scientists. People who pay in cash as opposed to their plastic little friends are far more reluctant to part with their cash as we see it a lot more valuable than credit cards.

It may be down to the fact that knowing thousands of pounds is available on the little card so we see it as a drop in the ocean, but when we actually see our cash being handed over it feels a lot worse.

Of course this has its safety implications such as if you lose your wallet or it is stolen, you have just lost all the money as with a credit card it would not be. It is also impractical to carry around hundreds of pounds, especially if you want to make numerous expensive purchases.

It is also the case for when it comes to vouchers, having a voucher in a shop means it is already spent. People going into a shop will not want to leave any credit on a voucher so will usually spend it all even if it is on items they do not really need.

Some may see vouchers and credit cards similar to monopoly money and will spend a little more money on items than they would if it was cash.

If you choose to use a credit card this Christmas then you should make sure you do not overspend and become another post Christmas debt statistic.

Search for interest free credit cards online using comparison sites, there are a number of cards available so finding the right credit cards should be easy.

Short Sales and Your Credit

When considering a short sale, be aware of how it affects your credit and your ability to acquire another mortgage down the road. If you intend to buy again, a short sale may mean that you have to wait a shorter time and get a better interest rate than if you go through foreclosure.

A short sale will affect your credit negatively, but the long-term effects are not nearly as bad as having a credit report stamped with "Foreclosure". Having that on your credit report is like having a huge pimple on your face. Lenders just can't help but notice that it's there. A short sale at least shows that you were proactive about your mortgage.

The way that FICO determines the effect of any change to your credit, positive or negative is based on a number of different data. There's your payment history, your debt load, the amount of time that you've had a credit history, any new credit you've obtained and the type of credit you use. Of course, your payment history reigns supreme here, followed closely by how much you owe. No single factor determines your credit score.

If you short sell your home, your FICO score may take a dip comparable to foreclosure - possibly up to 300 points. Any "not paid as agreed" accounts are considered the same to FICO. This can stay on your record for 7 years, impairing your ability to get considered for a decent loan.

The main advantage of a short sale is the amount of time that it will take another lender to consider you for a loan. You will be able to buy another home for a workable interest rate a lot more quickly with a short sale than a foreclosure. The average is within 2 years as opposed to 3-5 years.

If you view this event as an opportunity to rebuild your credit in the interim between the short sale and purchasing another home, it's possible to improve your credit in under 2 years. Over time, the negative impact on your score lessens. Keep on top of your debt and expenses and you may find that you are a homeowner again a lot quicker with a short sale.

When considering a short sale, be aware of how it affects your credit and your ability to acquire another mortgage down the road. If you intend to buy again, a short sale may mean that you have to wait a shorter time and get a better interest rate than if you go through foreclosure.

A short sale will affect your credit negatively, but the long-term effects are not nearly as bad as having a credit report stamped with "Foreclosure". Having that on your credit report is like having a huge pimple on your face. Lenders just can't help but notice that it's there. A short sale at least shows that you were proactive about your mortgage.

The way that FICO determines the effect of any change to your credit, positive or negative is based on a number of different data. There's your payment history, your debt load, the amount of time that you've had a credit history, any new credit you've obtained and the type of credit you use. Of course, your payment history reigns supreme here, followed closely by how much you owe. No single factor determines your credit score.

If you short sell your home, your FICO score may take a dip comparable to foreclosure - possibly up to 300 points. Any "not paid as agreed" accounts are considered the same to FICO. This can stay on your record for 7 years, impairing your ability to get considered for a decent loan.

The main advantage of a short sale is the amount of time that it will take another lender to consider you for a loan. You will be able to buy another home for a workable interest rate a lot more quickly with a short sale than a foreclosure. The average is within 2 years as opposed to 3-5 years.

If you view this event as an opportunity to rebuild your credit in the interim between the short sale and purchasing another home, it's possible to improve your credit in under 2 years. Over time, the negative impact on your score lessens. Keep on top of your debt and expenses and you may find that you are a homeowner again a lot quicker with a short sale.

Joshua Sloan is your San Diego real estate agent at SanDiegoRealEstateBuzz.com. If you're looking for Solana Beach real estate for sale, Joshua can help.

Issues Obtaining a Mastercard With a Poor Credit History

In these unsure times irrespective of whether you have a poor credit history it is still possible for a person to acquire a credit card from the mass that currently flood the market. Even So, people who are experiencing a bad credit situation will find that Mastercard and Visa are the two financial institutions most likely to agree to supplying a card. The question you really need to ask is, what guarantees a poor credit Mastercard a better choice to try for over Visa?

In the past there used to be a difference, usually towards Visa, because of the quantity of places it was taken in, these days there is very little difference between themdifference between the two. So much so in fact, in many situations it is often Mastercard that is recognised more easily and accepted in retail outlets and other establishments. Naturally, the interest charged on these cards is likely to be higher than those experienced by people with high credit ratings, although more often than not the advantages will be pretty much comparable. It must be said that the individual must use the Mastercard sensibly and to ensure the payments are sent before the due date (whenever possible more than the bare minimum), they will begin to see their credit rating repair itself in a comparatively short space of time. An added bonus to this will be an improvement in the monthly interest you normally have to pay on the card later, once your situation has resolved itself.

As with all things financial, it is a good idea to look through the terms and conditions you must abide by when you are applying for a bad credit, Mastercard or other credit card. Like most things these days, the smartest way to learn more and research the choices you may have is to use the power of the Internet. This is where you can special web sites that can quickly show which financial institutions you can approach for a Mastercard if you have a bad credit rating.

Because there are a few you may be entitled to apply for it is best you are conscious of exactly what advantages each one offers so we will take a look at these below:

1. Continental Finance Gold MasterCard

When you choose this particular card you can be reassured that the manner in which you employ it will be forwarded to the primary three credit accounting organisations which can help you gradually reconstruct your credit record a bit-by-bit each month. Quite regularly a credit company will increase the limit available on the card if they see the person it has been issued to is acting responsibly and making their payments on time each month.

2. Orchard Bank Platinum MasterCard

Quite often, companies will need an administration payment before supplying the card which can be tough for some individuals but that is not the case with this card and despite this they still extend security on all the products it is used as payment for. This type of card also sends detailed accounts to the main credit agencies just as the bad credit Mastercard provided by Continental Finance. Nonetheless, this unique card has 2 other benefits over its competitors: firstly it levies a lower annual fee against other cards and secondly, the annual percentage rate is amazingly competitive when taking into consideration the circumstances under which it is supplied to the customer.

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