DEBTSMART EMAIL NEWSLETTER
ISSN 1538-6740
May 5, 2002 Issue 25

Tools for financial success!
A Free E-Mail Newsletter from DebtSmart Online and Press One Publishing.

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Publisher: Scott Bilker, mailto:publisher@debtsmart.com
Editor: Richard Crammer, 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

==> Cool Quote

==> Letter from the Publisher

==> 10 Reasons You Should Hate Your Credit Card Bank

==> Why Budgets Don't Work And How To Fix It

==> Household Math™: Average Daily Balance

==> Survey: "Hate" the Banks?

==> Think Before

==> Redefine What a Credit Card Can Do

==> Save Up to $1000 in Grocery Coupons

==> Living Full Out, 100%, No Matter What

==> Card Registration Services

==> DebtSmart Resources

==> Subscribe/Disclaimer Information

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PLEASE FORWARD THIS ISSUE

If you haven't already done so, please forward this issue to one or two of your friends or business associates.

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COOL QUOTE

"It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got."
--Sheryl Crow "Soak Up the Sun" (C'mon C'mon)

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 
by Scott Bilker

Thank you for responding to last issue's survey about my family vacation article! Almost everyone who responded indicated that they enjoyed the photos and found them to be very helpful. I will be sure to include many photos in future articles.

You read the result from the vacation survey by clicking below:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?15&7428 

On May 13th and May 14th at 6:30 PM ET I'll be appearing on television with Mary Amoroso on her show "Real Life," on channel CN8. The show on Monday (5/13/2002) will be the Debt Makeover where I'll be helping a DebtSmart reader with their financial situation. On Tuesday I'll be taking calls, live, from viewers. The show is also broadcast via the Internet so anyone can tune in!

Just mark you calendar, and hold on to this email, the link is below:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?16&7428 

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10 REASONS YOU SHOULD HATE YOUR CREDIT CARD BANK! 
by Scott Bilker

Buying a house forces you into debt, going to college forces you into debt, buying a car forces you into debt, if you don't have a credit card then you don't exist because you don't have a credit history. We just can't win.

And when you finally get some debt, the credit card banks are right there to take advantage of us! I've had enough! I'm sure you have too, so please tell me your story in the survey.

Click below to read article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?06&7428 

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WHY BUDGETS DON'T WORK AND HOW TO FIX IT 
by Terry Rigg

This article is for those families that have sat down at a desk or the kitchen table time after time trying to develop a family budget that they can live with.

Why don't they work?

There are several answers to that question.

Click below to read article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?07&7428 

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HOUSEHOLD MATH™: AVERAGE DAILY BALANCE

Test your knowledge by trying to solve these DebtSmart, Household Math™ problems! After you complete the problem you'll get the solution and explanation.

Most banks calculate the amount of interest you owe using the average daily balance method. That method means adding up the outstanding balance each day in the month and taking an average.

On day 1 in the month your balance is $5,000. On day 15 your payment of $2,000 is credited to your balance. The number of days in the month is 31. What is your average daily balance?

Click below for problem:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?08&7428 

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SURVEY: HATE THE BANKS

Please read "10 REASONS YOU SHOULD HATE YOUR CREDIT CARD BANKS!" by Scott Bilker before taking the survey.

Click below to take the survey:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?09&7428 

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THINK BEFORE 
by Doris Dobkins

This afternoon, I spent an unexpected 4 hours at the car service dealer. My vehicle had been overheating for the past few days so I thought I'd take it in for a service check. There was a leak in the water pump so I let them replace it. Not having any other form of transportation at the moment, I decided to "hang out" in a comfortable chair on the sales floor.

It was an extraordinary sales day at the dealership with plenty of activity taking place. All afternoon, I watched young and old, single and married, men and women come into the show room to discuss purchasing a vehicle.

Here's just a small sample of what I witnessed...

Click below to read article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?10&7428 

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REDEFINE WHAT A CREDIT CARD CAN DO

Blue from American Express is a credit card that adapts to your needs. The built-in Smart Chip gives you an added level of security when shopping online.

It has no annual fee, a 0% APR for the first 6 months, and then as low as 9.99% fixed APR, and a credit line up to $100,000.

Click below to apply:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?13&7428 

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SAVE UP TO $1000 DOLLARS IN GROCERY COUPONS!!

By purchasing a $1000 Saver Book, you will be able to select $1000 in coupons for the national brand name products you want.

There are hundreds of different coupons available for items you buy regularly at the grocery store.

Click the below link:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?14&7428 

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LIVING FULL OUT, 100%, NO MATTER WHAT 
by Michael Angier

"Every man dies; not every man really lives." 
--William Wallace, Braveheart

My teenage son and I were watching the video of Braveheart, starring and directed by Mel Gibson. It's one of my favorites. Brad told me that he and his buddies used to watch it often at his school in Maine. It had been a couple of years since I'd seen it.

Click below to read article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?11&7428 

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CARD REGISTRATION SERVICES 
by Rebecca Lindsey

Credit card registration services (sometimes called card protection services) are an additional option that you should know about. Card registration services come in handy if your credit or debit cards are ever lost or stolen--for a monthly or yearly fee. Although the fee is usually small, it is up to you to figure out if the services offered are worth it.

Click below to read article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?12&7428 

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DEBTSMART RESOURCES

How to advertise in the email newsletter:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?01&7428 

How to advertise in the online classifieds:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?02&7428 

DebtSmart Books, software, reports, in-print and downloads:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?03&7428 

Archive of DebtSmart Email Newsletters online:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?04&7428 

How to use DebtSmart articles FREE in your ezine or on your web site:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?05&7428 

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HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER

All recipients of DEBTSMART EMAIL NEWSLETTER have signed up voluntarily for the newsletter via our website.

TO SUBSCRIBE to this newsletter click on the below link and complete the subscription form:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020508_en.cgi?00&7428 

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.

We have done our best to ensure that all sponsors included in the DebtSmart Email Newsletter offer quality products and services. Please let us know about your experience with our advertisers by writing to mailto:comments@debtsmart.com

Copyright (c) 2002 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.