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DEBTSMART EMAIL NEWSLETTER - Tools for financial success!
A Free E-Mail Newsletter from DebtSmart Online and Press One Publishing.
ISSN 1538-6740
December 5, 2001 Issue 14
Scott Bilker, Editor and Publisher, mailto:publisher@debtsmart.com
Richard Crammer, Editor, mailto:editor@debtsmart.com
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For instructions to SUBSCRIBE, and DISCLAIMER, see bottom of this email.

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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> Advertisers

=> Cool Debt Statistic

=> DebtSmart Resources

=> Letter from the Publisher

=> 5 Ways to Avoid Holiday Debt

=> Survey: Holiday Shopping

=> Biweekly Mortgages: A Reader's Personal Story

=> Love Is Blind, But Creditors Aren't

=> Watch the Upsells!

=> HOLIDAY CREDIT CARD USE TO RISE BY 7%

=> Subscribe/Disclaimer Information -----------------------------------------------------------------

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We have done our best to ensure that all advertisers included in the DebtSmart Email Newsletter offer quality products and services. However, if you have any problems, please let us know by sending mailto:comments@debtsmart.com

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DEBTSMART EMAIL IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOLLOWING ADVERTISERS:

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REDEFINE WHAT A CREDIT CARD CAN DO
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EMAIL NEWSLETTER MARKETING! IT'S REAL, IT WORKS!
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DebtSmart Resources

How to advertise in the email newsletter:
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How to advertise in the online classifieds:
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Archive of DebtSmart Email Newsletters online:
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How to use DebtSmart articles FREE in your ezine or on your web site:
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Letter from the Publisher
by Scott Bilker

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Speaking of Thanksgiving, we had an excellent response to the Thanksgiving quiz that was included in the last email newsletter. Here are some of the results:

1) Average score: 64% 
2) Easiest Question: 85% got #7 correct, "What was the name of the ship
    that brought the Pilgrims to America?" 
3) Toughest Question: 46% got #2 correct, "Who were the Pilgrims?"

'Tis the shopping season! Be sure to read my article, "5 Ways to Avoid Holiday Debt." Also, included is a free downloadable spreadsheet to help with holiday spending.

Also, please be sure to rate the articles in the email newsletter. You can do so by clicking below:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/011205_en.cgi?14&7428 

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5 Ways to Avoid Holiday Debt (plus free software)
by Scott Bilker

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas people are going to spend $121.4 billion using their credit cards!

The key is not to let this debt stick, not to allow yourself to get buried by that debt. Not ending up spending the next year paying off the purchases from this holiday season.

How are you going to pay for the gifts?

Credit cards of course! I'm sure many people are going to criticize me for even suggesting such an idea.

I can hear it now, "Scott, are you crazy? Don't use your credit cards USE CASH! I thought you're the anti-credit-card guy?"

I'm not the "anti-credit-card guy" I'm the DebtSmart guy. It's not the credit spending that's going to put you into debt. It's the "spending."

If you're going to spend $1,000 then it doesn't matter what you actually use to pay that $1,000. You can use cash, credit, or gold bouillon. Once it's spent, it's gone!

The key is to be smart about how you pay, and using your credit cards is very smart. There are many good reasons to use your credit card for shopping here are a few...

Click the below link to read the rest of the article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/011205_en.cgi?13&7428 

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Survey: Holiday Shopping

It's the beginning of December and the holidays are closing in fast! How far are you along with your holiday shopping? Take the survey!

Use the below link to take the survey:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/011205_en.cgi?06&7428 

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Biweekly Mortgages: A Reader's Personal Story

The following is a series of e-mails written back-and-forth between Scott Bilker and Kevin, a DebtSmart Reader, about Kevin's experience with a nightmare of a mortgage!

Scott, Thanks for your informative article on Biweekly mortgages. It really helped to open my eyes when I was considering one.

Isn't this practice illegal? Seems like the marketing materials that I received are misleading and deceptive. Do you have any recommendations on what I can do to help stop this practice?

Kevin

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Kevin,

Thanks for writing!

The practice of selling a biweekly mortgage isn't illegal, just not in the interest of consumers if...

Click the below link to read the rest of the article: http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/011205_en.cgi?07&7428 

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Love Is Blind, But Creditors Aren't 
by Gary Foreman

Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I am getting married next year and have a question concerning our individual credit histories. I have good credit and my Fiance does not. I have worked hard to maintain a good credit rating, paying more than the minimum amount due each month. My Fiance however is not good at paying his bills and unfortunately his credit is suffering because of it. I basically have to remind him what's due, how much, etc. If we get married will whatever he has owed previously (before me) affect my credit or not? I don't want responsibility for something I had no involvement in. I understand that whatever we do together after we are married is "ours" but what about before? Can you please tell me what is right? --Amber

Amber's right that just by getting married you do not assume the credit history of your spouse. His bad record will not automatically contaminate your good one. Your credit rating is only affected by what you do. Anything that you do yourself or jointly with someone else will be reflected on your record.

But Amber is also correct that events after the marriage will effect both of their credit files. And as time goes by their credit histories will begin to look similar.

Much as we'd like to, you can't marry just part of someone. We marry all of them. That includes their good and bad points. Also their assets and liabilities.

Unless Amber...

Click the below link to read the rest of the article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/011205_en.cgi?08&7428 

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Watch the Upsells!
by Doris Dobkins

You've planned all year for this shopping day. Your holiday budget is set. You are determined to stick to it and you have high hopes of not overspending.

First stop, the local mall. At the mall, your first purchase is a pair of tennis shoes. $29.95. Fine, you budget was $33. That will just cover the taxes. Then you get the upsell. Your shoes won't be complete unless you purchase their ultra super spicy clean scented leather cleaner and polisher. It's only $5.99.

Next stop, an Icee because you are worn out. You tell the clerk that you want a small size for $1.39. She says, for $.79 cents more you can get the Santa cup upgrade. There's not any more Icee, just the Santa head on the cup.

Now you head down the hall packed with other eager shoppers to the beauty and bath boutique. You smell all the tempting lotions and settle on two bottles of green apple. One costs $6.00 but they offer you two for $10.00. What a deal.

Finally, about six hours later, you drag yourself and your eighteen bags out of the store to your car and drive home. Upon arriving at home, you pull out your calculator and all your receipts for the day. Total = $520.75. Oh my, what could have gone wrong. My budget was $350.00 and I had everything planned out so well.

Your problem is called upsells! They are big this year and they are persuasive.

I spent two hours at the new mall in town last week. In every store I went to, they tried to sell me something additional related to my purchase. They pushed, they pulled, they persuaded and looked at me crazy when I said no. These uncomfortable encounters were ruining the fun of my holiday shopping experience.

I finally decided the only way to handle this was to take the offensive approach. I simply said...

Click the below link to read the rest of the article: http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/011205_en.cgi?09&7428 

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HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER

TO SUBSCRIBE to this newsletter click on the below link and complete the subscription form:
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Please contact mailto:comments@debtsmart.com with any comments, problems, or concerns.

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The author(s), Press One Publishing, and DebtSmart.com shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in this email newsletter and/or at the DebtSmart.com web site. The information, methods and techniques described may not work for you and no recommendation is made to follow the same course of action. Every effort has been made verify the accuracy of all content contained herein. However, there may be mistakes; typographical, mathematical or in content. This email newsletter and the DebtSmart.com web site have been created for your entertainment only. You must always seek the proper professional advice before taking any financial or legal action. You have been warned.

Copyright (c) 2001 Press One Publishing. All rights reserved. Please do not reprint, or host on your Web site, without explicit permission. However, if you found this newsletter helpful, we grant you permission, and strongly encourage you, to e-mail it to a business associate or a friend. Thank you.