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

Letter from the Publisher
by Scott Bilker

Hi,

As always, I hope this email newsletter finds you and yours in good health both physically and financially!

The new updates to DebtSmart.com, and the email newsletter, are complete and ready for your use! The only thing that I need now to make the site better is your feedback. This upgrade is supposed to improve the site for all of us, and I would really appreciate hearing what you think about the changes. There is a survey included in this email newsletter. After you check out the articles and click around, please complete the survey--thanks!!!

Here’s something interesting...my wife, and DebtSmart.com editor, Larissa, saw a story on channel-3 news (10/20/05) that some libraries send overdue accounts to collection agencies, and this could end up on your credit report. The bottom line--a late library book could raise your credit card rates!

Lastly, here’s an interesting statistic: The American Bankers Association reported this week that credit-card delinquencies had climbed to a record high in the second quarter, with 4.8 percent of account holders behind in payments.

That’s all for now.

Best,
Scott
PS: If you are interested in advertising with DebtSmart.com, please complete the form here.

Negotiation persistence saves $21,000
by Scott Bilker

Amy originally contacted me to let me know about her success in general. We corresponded a few times regarding her latest negotiation with her bank. She already was doing well, so I asked her to let me know what happens--and she did! I must say that I am very impressed by her success and want to share it with everyone at DebtSmart.com so all can see what is possible when you are persistent! Congratulations Amy and thank you for allowing me to share this with everyone!

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“I saved $1,334 per hour. It was so easy!”

“I spent about 2 hours reading this book (Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt), getting comfortable with the strategies. Then, after my first phone call, which saved me $210 per year, I was off and running! I was able to reduce my interest rate by as much as 9%. I called all six of my Mastercard/Visa companies and was able to save $1,983 per year from the finance charges plus have a $59.00 annual fee removed and a late fee removed ($29.00). The $/hour saved ranged from $141/hour to $2,464/hour and averaged $1,334/hour. It was so easy!!”

Fred Robinson, Teacher, Milford, NH

Read about special offer for all three of Scott Bilker's best-selling books

SURVEY: New DebtSmart.com website and email newsletter format

After about two months of working around the clock, the new DebtSmart.com website is ready for your use and review. My goal is to create a place for all of us to find information that saves money! The new look of DebtSmart.com should do more than improve the appearance. It should provide better navigation, organization of articles, search functionality, etc. And don't miss the new printable format for articles.

As much as I hope that I'm approaching these goals, I understand that your opinions about the website are what is really going to bring it to the next level. If the website works for you, then it works for me. To that end, I want to thank you again for taking the time to let me know what you think of the new format at DebtSmart.com.

Click here to complete the survey

Household Math™: Average Daily Balance
by Scott Bilker

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?

Answer this problem

Payment Order Counts When Saving Money On Your Debt
by Scott Bilker

A big myth in credit card and loan repayment is to “start with the smallest debt” and work your way to the largest.

I have been asked repeatedly about this debt-repayment strategy during radio interviews and directly, and the only reason that I can think of that some people may pay the smallest debts first is purely for psychological reasons. They want to feel like they’re wiping out their debt, and it may seem faster to start with the smallest debt. But the reality is that it may take longer.

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Setting Your Financial Priorities
by Terry Rigg

Whether you know it or not, you are always setting your financial priorities. Some may decide that a new stereo system is more important than this month's electric bill. This may be a little off the wall, but it is still setting your priorities.

Anyone wanting to better manage their money would be wise to determine what their financial priorities are and stick to them. Of course, if you see that these priorities will not put food on the table and pay your bills, then you will have to rethink your priorities.

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DebtSmart® Help Center
by Scott Bilker

Hi,

Helping you with your debt is very important to me personally! If you've been reading my articles, you know that I always encourage self-help as a first step. However, being buried in debt can be very overwhelming, which is why you may want to explore other options.

One of those options is professional, ongoing help with credit counselors. I've started to personally check out certain companies so I can recommend the ones that are worth considering!

If you would like to speak with a representative from a...

Read more at the DebtSmart Help Center

Rating your credit card
by CardRatings.com

"CardRatings.com has been offering ratings of credit cards since 1998 and has been featured by Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports®, NPR, PBS, etc. Thanks to consumers like you, CardRatings.com has become the most comprehensive free source for comparing credit card offers."

See how your credit cards are rated by CardRatings.com

Using Online Credit Card Calculators as a Personal Finance Tool
by Curtis Arnold

The Web has greatly enhanced the availability of helpful resources pertaining to personal finance. Online financial calculators are a perfect example of how the Web is aiding consumers in making wise choices about credit. Online calculators are becoming increasingly popular financial tools and, while calculators are quite "user-friendly", there are some tips that consumers should consider when using calculators. It is our hope that the following suggestions will help consumers take full advantage of the calculators located on our site and elsewhere on the Internet.

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