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Book Reviews and comments about everything DebtSmart® |
Reviews
for Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt
Read Media Reviews
Email Newsletter Reader Comments
Reviews for How to
be more Credit Card and Debt Smart
"I am a HUGE fan of DebtSmart! I
apply the knowledge I have gained in my everyday life and preach
this website to family, friends, coworkers and customers like it was
my Bible!"
—Ed Fletcher
"I just wanted to write in and let you know how great this web site is. The
suggestions you make and the information you provide are amazing! Moreover,
these make so much sense from a financial perspective. By following your advice,
I was able to change my debt structure and will be completely debt free by the
end of next year. And, in doing so, I was able to save over $250 a month. Thank
you so much!"
—Joe Saxton
"Your articles are easy to read and follow, although
they contain a lot of detail. You have a talent for being
able to tell people complicated things without making them
seem stupid, or the goal unattainable. I think most of us
are financially lazy--we would rather keep on in our rut
than change--but then along come articles like yours that
shock us into motion. I love the links to other articles and
sites. I also love the calculation tables. I have subscribed
to your newsletter and used your site for many months now. I
find you to be 'on the cutting edge' when it comes to
financial matters--I always end up pushing myself to do
something more when I have read your articles."
—Elaine Wente
"One fine site with practical insights and accurate
information!"
—James
"DebtSmart.com is one of the most useful money
management sites I've seen. Actually it's the best!"
—Bruce Rines
"GREAT site! I really found a goldmine when I found
DebtSmart.com. Inspired by what I read, I applied for a 0%
for 12-month credit card and have already maxed it by transferring
from my HELOC for the beginning of my interest-free year. It
will save me over $200! Thanks!"
—Paul Hammond, Huntsville, AL
"A world of thanks! You site has been a lifesaver and
something that I could not have figured out on my own. Money
management is so important yet the general public has no
idea on how to do it. Most of us live pay check to pay check
and planning can be so confusing. Again thanks for your
help!"
—Edie Murgia
"After watching you
in an interview today I was inspired to pick up the phone
and call several of my credit cards in hope of receiving
lower rates. After negotiating with several of the credit
card companies that we have accounts with (we have about
10), only one refused to budge on its rates. The rest
lowered their rates significantly. However, we decided not
to settle for just a significant drop. After Bank One
offered a fixed rate of 3.9%, we asked all of our cards if
they could match it. One other did and then some. Several
others would not, so we transferred them to cards, which
would. The breakdown is as follows: (1) $9,480 transferred
from a 10% variable rate to a 3.9% fixed rate; (2) $7,415
from a 10.34% variable rate to a 3.9% fixed rate; (3) $6,436
from a 12% variable rate to a 3.9% fixed rate; (4) $18,000
from a 8 1/2% variable rate to a 2.9% fixed rate. Thanks
Scott for all the insight. I could not be more
thrilled!"
—Denise Troy
"I just wanted to drop you an email and say how much I
enjoyed your web site. You have helped me massively in
gaining new information on subjects in which, to be honest,
I previously knew little about. Thanks for your hard work
and help in better educating and assisting me."
—Rachel O'Rourke, UK
"I am very honored and pleased to take this time to
write to you and thank you. One day I found your book in the
library and found myself addicted to Credit Card and Debt
Management. I use all of the formulas and tables in the
back all of the time, and in doing so, have turned my bills
around from paying them off in a matter of a couple years
faster. Thank you for letting me not worry anymore."
—Chris
"I took your advice and moved the remaining $18,900
dollars of my car loan at 4.9% interest onto two, 0% credit
card offers I had received. According to my Credit Union's
own loan calculator this has saved me $734 in interest alone
this year--more than a payment on the original loan.
I also applied for and got the AmEx Blue, Cash Back Credit
card that is advertised on your site. So far I've accrued
$430 in cash back credits. After using this card I got a
Mastercard paying 1% on purchases and 3% on gas. So far I've
earned over $60 in credits and by the end of the year the
two cards should make another car payment. Thanks for the
help!"
—Dan Kauffman
"I liked the fact that Scott breaks everything down so
you can understand it better. His knowledge and honesty
about finances and getting out of debt helped me with my
"situation" as well. I am so glad that I found
this web site. Thank you for all the wonderful advice you
give."
—Michelle
"Debtsmart.com--A Great Personal Finance Site! Scott is
really an expert and consumer advocate of credit card. He
wrote books and maintains a great web site DebtSmart.com
talking about credit card tricks and best consumer
practices. Actually, this web site is a vivid personal
finance bible by itself."
—MM, webmaster of pfblog.com
"The help and advice that you gave me regarding my
25-year-old daughter's credit problems was beyond my
expectations. Not only did you give me excellent financial
advice, but it was delivered with the type of warmth,
compassion and concern that I would have expected from a
lifelong friend... the lesson is that we can trust DebtSmart.
We will gladly recommend your web site and your books to
anyone."
—Debbie
"The advice is practical and down to earth. Thanks to
tips I got from reading your newsletter in previous years I
am repaying my debts with low monthly payments interest
free! DebtSmart is full of great ideas and handy hints.
Everyone who ever struggled with credit will find at least
one idea to help them climb out of debt and live debt free
eventually."
—Karen Cournoyea, DebtSmart Email Newsletter Reader
"Credit Card and Debt Management: The math
behind the plastic."
—Newsweek (3/24/03), Linda Stern
"The classic work on managing the opiate of the
indebted. I love this book."
—Susan Mulward
"I ordered your
books and studied them and I have read your newsletter for
quite some time. I had close to $55,000 in credit card debt
with high interest rates. Following your advice I did
balance transfers until I was able to get the interest rate
to 3.9 percent and I have paid off four cards and cancelled
them. In two years the total has dropped to about $25,000
and is dropping fast with the low interest rate. My son lost
his job 7 months ago and your advice saved their home. Keep
up the good work and especially keep telling everyone not to
trust the banks who issue the credit cards."
—Jimmy Thomas, Texas
"I wanted to let you know that the new video newsletter
feature is a WOW! Two thumbs up addition to your excellent
web site and update column--good work, fella!
Also wanted to send you a heartfelt Thank You for the site,
and indeed having the guts and resilience to put it all
together in the first place. You've really done a very good
job in making help available to thousands of needy people;
no matter how educated you are, what your job is, and where
you come from, if you have no money you feel like a loser.
And when you're in debt, you feel worse than a loser--you
feel a failure, naked, guilty, worse off that the poor old
tramp in the street, vulnerable, and that a speeding
steamroller is about to whack you off (sorry, I'm
English--is that the right expression?!!) and squash you
into nothingness. But your site--and indeed, you
yourself--have taken that fear away from myself and
countless others--and for that I thank you.
I'm English, living and
working in a well paid job in the UK, and although I'm still
in debt, your website/newsletter/books have made me realize
that I'm not alone, still have a future, and have given me
the confidence to do something about it. I'm still in debt,
and will be for the next five years, but each and every
month improves and that overall big red number is
decreasing.
Most important of all, Scott,
is that I now am in control--thanks to you.
You're very popular over here
in the UK, by the way--I've read about you on various
newsgroups and sites.
Sorry to have bothered you
with this, and apologies for being long-winded--just wanted
to pass on some positive feedback in these gloomy times.
Take care, and with the very
best of wishes."
—Nick Smith
"Thank you so much for sending me this monthly letter.
I am growing and learning all of the time in my least
favorite subject - MONEY! However, I'm getting better at it
and I'm grateful to you and your service. God Bless."
—Hannah Chapman, DebtSmart® Email Newsletter Reader
"I want to thank you for your informative articles and
the guidance that it gives to us out in the world."
—Kim in Ottawa, Canada
"I just want to thank you for your valuable
information. I was using Equity Accelerator, and after
reading your newsletter, I cancelled the subscription.
Afterward, on reading another edition of your newsletter, I
decided to look again into refinancing my house. I was
paying 8 3/8 % for 20 years. Now, I am paying 4 3/8 % for 15
years. I had rolled over $2100 into my principle of $61000.
I am extremely happy, and do gloat when I get a chance
considering rates started moving up shortly thereafter. Next
to my wife's money sense, your newsletter has provided the
most positive "wealth creation" I have come
across. Best wishes, and may your web site influence grow by
leaps and bounds. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your
valuable service."
—Lawrence Paschall, Grand
Prairie, TX
"I have enjoyed reading it! What I like about How to
be more Credit Card and Debt Smart is the way it is
written is like having a conversation with a friend. Picture
it like this, instead of two people but a person and the
book sitting at a table with a nice warm mug of Starbucks
(that I brewed of course) and learning about credit issues
in a relaxing and easy to remember format."
—Susie
Marion
"Before you get in trouble--read this book! This book
is excellent! It tells you the ins and outs of how credit
cards work and how to use them to your advantage. It
explains how to use them wisely and dispels many of the
myths that so many people still believe about credit. It
gives you in very simple terms the ability to compare
different credit offers. The easy to use tables in the back
of the book help you figure out if an offer will help or
hurt you in the long run and how long it will take to pay
off accounts. I also took the advice of getting a credit
report. So much on there from the past that didn't need to
be there that wasn't helping my rating."
—June
Schiller, Taylor, MI, Amazon.com reader
"I enjoyed reading your article about biweekly payment
plans and the reality of this "scam". I have
always thought the debt reduction was due to the extra 2
payments, but never really thought about it too much. Your
article convinced me to just add an extra amount to
principal to my existing auto-debit each months. Thanks!!
I'm glad your article came up in the search engine I used,
Google."
—Robert Maloney
"Thanks for your informative article on Biweekly
mortgages. It really helped to open my eyes when I was
considering one."
—Kevin Harvey
"The best debt management tool on the market! Credit Card and Debt Management is without a
doubt the TOP OF THE LINE in its class. After having read
through several debt management books, this one assisted me
the most in debt reduction and managing personal finances.
It's clear, concise and practical, with real world examples
to learn from. As a member of the U.S. military who has had
to relocate every few years, the use of credit cards has
been essential in maintaining an enjoyable quality of life.
This book has greatly assisted in balancing it all.
Investing in Credit Card and Debt Management is money
well spent!"
—Jeff Gordon from Honolulu, Hawaii
"The book, Credit Card and Debt Management, is a
great help to me. I see credit cards in a different and more
positive light. It was one of the four books I picked off
the library shelf. I started with yours and never cracked
the other three! It is helping me save money on interest
payments--to be more hopeful and eager to pay off my debt.
I'm still going over the material and using the worksheets.
The story in Chapter 5 really helped me to commit to using
and learning the material. I found the math easy to
follow--everyone knows addition, subtraction, multiplication
and division. I recommend this book to my friends because I
believe it could help them do the same."
—Michael
Petersen, HVAC Installer, Oak Lawn, IL
"A HEADS UP DEBT MANAGEMENT. Credit Card and Debt Management provides a
practical step by step easy manner of keeping your debt
under control. The author appears to have been there and
gives you the easy ways to consolidate and manage your debt
as well as the ways to save money from credit card
management to savings when purchasing an automobile. It's
all here for the reading."
—Fred Erstein from SAN
DIEGO, CA.
“You may not have
heard about it on the evening news (probably not even on
WHYY), but there is a new magazine for anyone with a problem
of debt management. Sooner or later, most Americans have
that problem. It was a problem even back in Biblical times,
because there was a commandment calling for a "Jubilee
Year" every 50 years. According to the Bible, debts are
supposed to be canceled during the Jubilee Year. Throughout
the centuries, there have been religious taboos against
usury or any lending of money on interest. Benjamin Franklin
said, "Neither borrower nor a lender be."
While there has been some
progress in reducing the national debt, the American people
have the highest total personal debt (and probably the
highest personal debt per capita) in the world. So much for
Yankee frugality! DebtSmart was recently
launched by Scott and Larissa Bilker of Press One Publishing
in an unlikely location - not the financial district of New
York City but the small town of Barnegat, NJ - in the
Barnegat Bay Country about midway between Asbury Park and
Atlantic City. But, enough of the prologue; here's the
bottom-line information: DebtSmart is an easy-read
magazine printed on coated stock with illustrations and full
color. The spring 2001 issue includes a cover story on
"reading the fine print in those low-rate credit card
offers" and information on saving money (through
payment-order awareness and "credit surfing"),
multilevel marketing, credit-card canceling and vigilance,
and debt-management software.”
—Harry Hyde Jr., Managing Editor, VALLEY VOICE
"Received your premier issue in mail.. Love It !!! Keep
it FREE !!"
—Dan Kemple, Mitchell, IN
“After
our second conversation on Thursday I was determined to
figure out how you arrived at your figures on page 5 (Debt
Smart, Spring 2001). Now don't get me wrong, by no means am
I a really good math person, and I really don't have the
time to figure this stuff out, but today I came away from my
tax guy (depressed) and was sitting in my car doing some
thinking. I picked up your magazine and began on page
5. After an hour and having no success in breaking your
code, nothing was working out to even come close. So, I
said, "a phone call is in order." But, after our second
conversation, this is what I came up with. Here is what I
did and how I did it: I took the APR of 19.8% or .198
divided by 12 = 0.0165 x 30 = 0.495 or $49.50.
I began with a balance of $3049.50 and applied the APR only
to the true balances for 6 months. At the conclusion of 6
months, my bank fees paid were: $298.54 or 83% and total
payments toward the balance was $61.46 or 17%. Now once I
compared my figures to yours on page 5, I did not feel so
bad, and realized a personal victory. There was a difference
of only $4.54 between your figures and mine. The lesson showed me and taught me how much money I actually
pay to the banks and how very little actually goes toward
the overall balance. Thank you. I was introduced to your web
site from "Dollar Stretcher" about a year ago and
found it very interesting. How about a topic for future
consideration: "How to Select a Credit Counselor."
Just a suggestion. Thanks for your help. I don't normally write such long
E-mail messages. Keep up the great work!!”
—Jay Collins, Rowland Heights, CA
"I was happy to receive my first copy of your
magazine...I hope that you are successful. You are providing
a great service to many people like myself who have too much
debt. Be ready!"
—E.C., Mt Holly, NJ
"Saved $35 the day I read this book! I now know how to deal with banks, and their annual
fees. I never knew there is no need to pay the annual fee
for a credit card. When I read how I need not pay fees, I
used it that very day, and saved $35. Now I save the annual
fee on all my cards. This alone makes the book worth
reading. There are many other money saving techniques in
this book. Ways to save on interest payments; ways to reduce
your debt; ways to have a "nest egg" available
whenever you need it. This book is a great investment. The
first day I read this book, I received a 175% return on my
investment."
—Robert Gamble, NJ
"Helpful, and innovative. Buying Scott's book can help anyone. A wise choice and
well thought out and written."
—Julia Cohen from
NYC
“BTW, last night I was in the middle of writing our Business Plan and got stuck
trying to write a spreadsheet that would calculate a loan amortization. I was really tired
and not happy about learning all the functions it would involve and then checking my work
with the Quicken loan calculator. Then it dawned on me that if I went to Yahoo and typed
in “excel loan amortization” I would probably find someone who had already
invented this particular wheel. Well, wuddaya know? There you were, with exactly what I
needed, and to top it all off, IT WAS FREE! I can't thank you enough and I'm really
looking forward to getting the book. :-)”
—Douglas
Gibbens Ecopax International, Inc., ecopax.com
“I just found your site on the recommendation of the Dollar Stretcher newsletter, and
wanted to tell you how refreshing your viewpoints are! When everyone one in the media is
screaming 'invest, invest’, it’s good to see a voice of reason advocating the
first step of real investing - saving/investing in oneself.”
—G.
Krause
“Your article was fabulous regarding the bi-weekly mortgage payments, companies
really try to force them on you. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to receiving
your magazine.”
—Laura Batte, Portfolio Manager
“Yes, my debt is in better shape today thanks to your book. I have obtained a 9%
fixed rate and consolidated my high interest credit cards. I am using just one credit card
and got them to reduce the interest rate from 19% to 13%. There is light at the end of the
tunnel. Thank you again.”
—Greg Oradat, IN
“Carrying a sizeable credit card debt often feels like the monetary equivalent of
sin...Until now, that is. With a concise and blessedly unmoralistic tone...Scott Bilker
sets forth a realistic and comprehensive approach to keeping your credit card debts in
hand….There are other surprises and reverses of conventional wisdom in this timely
book, which could be the best investment you could ever make in reining in those sinful
credit card balances.”
—D. Patrick Miller, Fearless
Books (view all comments)
“Your talk on The Morning Buzz in NH yesterday was great!! I'm printing the e-book
right now....I have never been so excited about debt! You got me all wound up yesterday! I
could not have heard about this at a better time. When I tuned in yesterday morning, I
thought 'there is a God'! I'm serious! ”
—Melanie
Bisson
“First let me say that for me having the option of the pdf format book was an
excellent way to save money. I wish that more people would make their literature available
in this manner. I did end up printing the book and putting it in a three ring binder, but
only so that I would be able to make some notes and comments in the margin. As far as the
content of the book...I found it very easy to read and follow because I understood the
format....In short, congratulations on putting together a very clear and easy to read and
follow introduction 'text book' on Credit Management....Well done.”
—Dave
Mullins, Electronics Engineer
“Set up by Scott Bilker, the author of Credit Card and Debt Management, this
site features financial news and tips on how to budget to pay off significant debt…at
its core, DebtSmart.com provides some good advice for people who need basic credit
help.”
—Access Internet Magazine
(accessmagazine.com)
“It gets to the point. I have looked around for a book with simple and candid explanations on how to use
credit cards. Bilker's format is great. The examples can easily be applied to your next
credit purchase so you can save money. I am going to buy a few copies for some of
relatives and friends.”
—Lewis M. Cruz, University of
Houston, chemical engineering student
“I recommend this book, only if you want to become a master of your credit cards, not
a slave to them...It is easy to read and very detailed and concise...It's amazing the
amount of time I will be able to save just filing away the bills faster using Bilker's
system.”
—Sue Seppo, Staff Writer, theWhiz.com
(view all comments)
“I have found the book very informative and well written. Thank you for making this
information easily understandable.”
—Michael Flowers
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“Very good, very informative book, a great book to go through your debt A to Z to
help yourself get out of debt before you need to see a lawyer...Credit Card
and Debt Management, it's a great book on everything that has to do with
charge cards from credit card and debt management to choosing a charge card to
fees
—everything!
But what's interesting, what popped out to me, is that your book
gave me all the information that I was never able to find.”
—James J. Burns, C.F.P. (Certified Financial Planner) host of The Extra
Help Channel's
In the Money
|
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“We've discussed this
(credit cards and debt) before on It's Your Money, and in the
many articles and publications that come across my desk, I found one
that I thought was particularly appropriate for us to discuss. The name
of the book is Credit Card and Debt Management. The author is
Scott Bilker. And Scott Bilker has put together a book that not only
explains the problems that you can get into but with all kinds of charts
and graphs that you can easily fill out. You can work your way out of
debt following the instructions carefully laid out by Scott Bilker. This
is a $19.95 value friends and let me tell you something, that is not a
very high price for the terrific guidance you're going to get from this
book. I'm plugging this book…because I think it can help thousands upon
thousands, if not millions, of people who are up to their eyeballs in
debt and need some guidance in how to get out of it.”
—Dr. Bill Bailey, host of Talk America
Radio's It's Your Money, heard nationally on more than 360
radio stations and on the Internet.
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“Learn different solutions to solving your debt problems.”
—MyParentime.com
“An excellent resource in gaining control of revolving debt.”
—MONEYCLUB.com
“I started using Scott Bilker's tools for debt management 18 months ago. His book
helped me to take charge of my finances with credit cards as my #1 resource. Thank you
Scott!! I finally feel on top of my money management!!!!!!!”
—Joe
DiBiase, Owner of Coastal Pest Control, Long Branch, NJ
“When debt slams you in the face, it can be as disorienting as running headlong into
a telephone pole. And worse, consumer debt is often unexpected, since many people don't
know they've overextended themselves until it's too late.
That's where Scott Bilker comes in. His paperback book (which
looks more like a seminar workbook or manual) is a prudent first step to assessing debt
and then stopping it. Credit Card and Debt Management is just
over 100 pages. Bilker offers 13 chapters of various interest to the debt-laden consumer,
including sections on credit solutions, math and money, and paying bills. There's even a
section on "Bad Advice."
Bilker puts a heavy emphasis on learning how to do math and
perform calculation, so you understand exactly what's going on. He also offers suggestions
on how to organize your bills and take advantage of special credit offers.
Bilker's most important contribution with this book is educating
consumers on how to get the most for your money, and what NOT to do if you seek to save
bundles on the those evil APR's.”
—LM, HERO
magazine
“In Credit Card and Debt Management, Scott Bilker shows how
simple it is to lower your monthly payments by applying step-by-step methods to fully
analyze your debt and make decisions that can save you money.
Credit Card and Debt Management shows
how to save money on finance charges, compare credit-card offers, utilize your best
available credit options, calculate loan payments, pay bills on time, and master the
financial techniques and disciplines that will emancipate you from the stress of
indebtedness for the rest of your life.”
—REVIEWER'S BOOKWATCH
“I teach negotiation at the University of Miami...Alternative Dispute Resolution.
I'm using this article (actually two of yours) to illustrate the problem of why people
don't negotiate more. I liked the way that the article was very easy to read and
descriptive of exactly how one could try to get a better rate.”
—Clark Freshman, Professor, University of Miami School of Law
“...you can be sure that if I recommend it, this book contains easy-to-understand and
has fairly painless instructions for everything having to do with credit-card
debt...”
—Mary Hunt, National columnist and author Mary
Hunt's Debt-Proof Living and Cheapskate Monthly
(view all comments)
“Millions of Americans have, or have had, difficulties with
credit cards. Here is a book for anyone who has had such difficulties or who wants to
avoid them. Scott Bilker's Credit Card and Debt Management is an
informative and easy-to-read guide to keeping credit cards and debt under control.
Bilker's book takes the reader through an understanding of credit
problems and practical systematic approaches to their resolution. Text is supported by
graphics, tables, and blank worksheets. The author is not an accountant but an engineer,
and he uses more of an engineer's problem-to-solution approach than an accountant's
bookkeeping one. And, unlike many engineers, Bilker writes as if he is writing for the
layperson (which he is doing) rather than for engineers, scientists, and technicians.
Bilker introduces the reader to 'Credit Card Graveyard' (p 21),
'APR' (annual percentage rate) (p 42), and other relevant nomenclature. He offers
mathematical approaches that should be familiar to anyone with a background in arithmetic
and introductory algebra
—no need for calculus here.
In short, he offers what I would consider to be an excellent book
to help people meet a very important need in their lives and at a reasonably modest price:
Credit Card and Debt Management. It may be the best thing to
come out of Barnegat since Perrine's sneakbox boat.”
—Harry Hyde Jr., Managing Editor, VALLEY VOICE
“From reorganizing personal debt and saving money on interest payments to
understanding savvy credit usage and money management skills, Bilker provides many
excellent tips on credit cards.
This is the perfect book to give to a young adult or to someone
in their 20s just beginning to understand how debt works.”
—REVIEWER'S
BOOKWATCH
“This book is so helpful to me. I borrowed it from the library twice and
then said, 'I have to buy this!' I use it as a reference. It makes me feel
smart. It guides me through purchases. It tells me everything about how to
manage my money. It's AWESOME (Credit Card and Debt Management)!
It's my money management bible.”
—Ann Marie Yorke, Bayville, NJ
“Recently
I used your book, Credit Card and Debt Management, by Scott Bilker, as a
reference book for a speech I was making for Speech Class.
I would like for Mr. Bilker to know how refreshing it was for me
to pick up a book and be able to grasp the concepts without taking 25 courses in higher
finance. The book offered quite clearly many topics I have longed to know, but didn't know
how or where to learn them, and I just never found the time to devise methods for myself.
So, thank you, for presenting a workable plan for caring for our personal money
management.”
—Carol F.
Peck, Germantown, OH
“An excellent and informative work. It provides an easy-to-follow plan...The
abundance of useful information make it (Credit Card and Debt Management) well
worth the investment.”
—Alan E. Cooke, Manager and
Debt-Free Living instructor (view all
comments)
“Credit Card and Debt Management, by Scott Bilker, explains how to reduce
debt, get the best credit card deals, determine true loan interest rates and calculate how
much you can afford to borrow.”
—INVESTORS PRESS
 |
“Credit Card and Debt Management by Scott
Bilker...it's
smart, it's got everything you need to know, you're going to save yourself from all kinds
of aggravation and trouble. It's all lined up, it is easy to read, there are a million
angles, and they're all for real, you won't have any trouble with it except you'll
probably not have any trouble with credit or with debts.”
—Dorie Lenz, host of
WPHL-TV's (WB 17) Community Close Up |
“This book provides many good tips in using credit cards, including reorganizing
personal debt, saving money on interest payments, understanding credit usage, and creating
money management skills. It is a good source for young adults or others starting to
understand debt.”
—Lara Ceresko, Student at University
of Texas at Austin
“It looks like it's easy...to follow. The workbook pages are clear and concise.”
—Kathy Scott, Host of KGDC AM Live, KGDC radio,
Walla Walla, WA
“I enjoyed reading your book very much
—it did help me in various ways to save
money on my credit card and loan charges. I heard about your book through a friend of mine
a few months after I took out a loan, and I purchased it online through
Amazon.com.
I got stuck with this personal loan ($5900) with a whopping APR
of 33.81% (gasp!) a couple of months ago, and now, thanks to your helpful tips, I am able
to transfer the remaining balance to my credit card after being able to increase its limit
and lower the APR.
I make monthly payments in the amount of $223. Basically, if I
pay off the entire loan in the time allotted (48 months), I will end up paying almost
$5000 in interest charges alone!! Can you believe these people?!
When I found out I could transfer the amount to my now low-rate,
high-limit credit card, I was really thrilled, and I have you to thank for that.
Thanks very much for your help. I look forward to reading more of
you books and articles. Take care…keep up the good work.”
—Shannon, Amazon.com
customer
“If you have debts today, you do need to manage them. And this book can help you
accomplish that goal.”
—Gary Foreman, THE DOLLAR
STRETCHER (view all comments)
“Very good down-to-earth ideas. Very easy to follow
—well thought out...liked the
whole book. Gave me new ideas on how to use credit cards and manage home finances.”
—Mark M. Hedge, Transportation Manager (KY)
“This
is the most helpful and useful book I have ever come across. It's the only book that
actually gives you answers. It has helped me to control my spending and to consolidate and
pay off my debt.
It helped me by setting up a plan. I feel that every one should
read it before acquiring any credit debt. Every newlywed couple should get one (book) as a
gift. It's definitely worth the $19.95!”
—Dori
Maccagnano, Teacher (NJ)
“If
you ask single Americans in their 20s or early 30s what their biggest financial worry is,
most will probably answer credit card debt. Bilker shows them the formulas for digging out
of the credit-card hole-methodically, systematically, and with a minimum of confusion.
Surprises abound, including Bilker's advice against cutting up
one's credit cards--after all, one may need that credit line in case of emergency...If
used correctly, this book could be a big help to those experiencing a rather common
burden.”
—BOOKLIST (American Library Association)
“It (Credit Card and Debt Management) is easily understood-very helpful-it
explains the parts I didn't understand and couldn't figure out for myself. It helped me
calculate the monthly payments needed to clear off the debt sooner.”
—Esther Boivin (retired)
“...the chapter that I found most interesting was...'Bad Advice,' in which Mr. Bilker
questions all that conventional wisdom about debt we read day after day in the financial
media.”
—Larry Roth, LIVING CHEAP NEWS
“Very useful to me (Credit Card and Debt Management)...it is simple to
understand!”
—William Sabin, Credit Counselor (retired)
“Have
you ever noticed that every time you get motivated and pay off your credit cards that,
before you know it, you've begun using them again and you're back where you started?
Credit cards have their advantages, but some people can't seem to handle them without
getting in over their heads.
Bilker's book is geared to help people understand how to handle
their debts and keep their spending under control. Bilker, an engineer, not a financier,
gives a concise, perceptive spin on a problem that affects many of us.”
—Faye M. Dasen, THE PILOT
“For anyone who owes their soul to the company store.”
—The
New Bookpaper
 |
“GOOD READING: There are a ton of financial advice books on the market. One you might
wish to check out is Credit Card and Debt Management by Scott
Bilker ($19.95, Press One Publishing).
The book offers good tips for saving money in dealing with
credit. It explains how paying more than the minimum payment affects your loans, how to
interpret payment terms on credit cards and helps you work out a payment plan to be
debt-free faster. Amortization tables are at the back of the book, making it easy for you
to calculate loan payoffs or loan costs at various rates and time periods.”
—Larry A. Strauss (Business Columnist) NEWS-PRESS |
“Lots of helpful hints!”
—Debbie Cohen
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