COOL QUOTE " If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." --Ben Franklin Quotes from all previous newsletters IN THIS ISSUE #128 Letter from the publisher Cool Quote Cheapest pre-paid phone rates Advanced Cash-Advance Techniques More credit card and debt statistics Blue Cash® for Business Credit Card "I saved $1,334 per hour. It was so easy!" Discover® Platinum Gas Card Household Math™: Future Savings Blue from American Express® Discover® Platinum Wildlife Card Stop Debt Collectors Cold! Using online credit card calculators as a personal finance tool More credit, more options! Free DebtSmart® Column for in print publication, ezine, or web site Books, software, in-print and downloads Archive of Email Newsletters online Advertising Update-Subscribe-Unsubscribe-Disclaimer Information Publisher: Scott Bilker Editor: Larissa S. Bilker Assistant Editor: Denise Troy ISSN 1538-6740 You can add DebtSmart® News RSS feeds to your newsreader pages. Note: RSS feeds are not a replacement for the email newsletter but a fast method of finding out what's new here at DebtSmart.com. College Financial Aid The average overall college aid package was $7,352. Private schools tend to be more generous with aid than public schools. They also charge much more for tuition. The average award at private colleges was $13,147, with 83 percent of their students receiving help. For public schools, the package was $7,619 for almost 70 percent of students. Read more credit card and debt statistics Stop Debt Collectors Cold! Stop Debt Collectors Cold! Plus, for a limited time, 4 bonus reports: How to Get Collection Accounts Off Your Credit Report, How to Avoid Losing Your Home In A Foreclosure, What to Do if You Are Behind on Your Car Payments, and Confidential Interview With A Former Debt Collector. Read about stopping debt collectors

Hi,

First up--I need your help! I've discovered that DebtSmart.com is not being displayed properly on certain computers or through certain email programs. One symptom of the problem is that the top banner on the homepage is missing. Can you please help me by taking a look at that and completing a survey by clicking here. Thanks so much!

Well, I'm back to selling all my extra junk at eBay.com. You know all that stuff that piles up. Trapping you! Sell it! I have a new strategy for doing so. I've entered into a partnership with my 12-year-old son. At this point, it's a 60/40 split, but he's working on me to up his side to 50.

I give him the stuff, he posts it online, and it sells! We're not getting rich, but we are cleaning up the house and getting paid to do it! You can see all my auctions by searching for my eBay seller name debtdaredevil.

Now here is a money-saving tip. How about buying money for less than it's worth? Not exactly, but here's the idea. You can save money dining out by purchasing gift cards at ebay.com! I posted a few gift cards just to cash them, and I'm not the only one. Convert gift cards you don't want into cash and get the ones you do want for less than face value. Check out all the gift cards that are for sale.

Best,
Scott

473 FREE minutes, 1.9 cents USA and Canada, 2.5 cents UK, no switching. NO NEED TO CHANGE CARRIERS. Long distance services can be used with your home phone, cell phone and with any other private touch-tone phones. Your flat domestic rate will vary depending on the plan you choose. No access fees, surcharges or any hidden fees. A valid credit card is required to acquire service. U.S. Residents only. Any and all Free Minutes Talk Time is only valid in the forty-eight (48) contiguous United States.

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Dear Scott,

I recently read your article about buying a car with a card. I have a 0% interest card and plenty of available credit so it seems like a good idea. The problem is the seller is a private party. Obviously, I can't use a convenience check or a cash advance or I'll blow the interest strategy. Is there a way to pay a private party so that it appears as a purchase on the card and not an advance? I have checked out PayPal, but I'm not sure the seller is Internet active. Thanks.

Tracy

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Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 6 Months, APR: 7.99% (for life on transferred balances). The Blue Cash® for Business Credit Card, issued by American Express®, is designed for business owners with average credit who plan to take advantage of the cash back reward program. The cash rebate amount varies according to where the cardholder makes their purchases. Cardholders earn a cash back rebate of up to 5% at "OPEN Savings" locations and up to 2.5% for all other general purchases. It is important to understand that once the annual spending exceeds $15,000, the rebate for additional "Open Savings" purchases is 2%, and the rebate for all other additional purchases is 1%. "OPEN Savings" locations include FedEx®, Hertz®, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM®, and more.

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"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 having 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

Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 12 Months, APR: 10.99%. The Discover® Platinum Gas Card, issued by Morgan Stanley, is designed for those with very good credit who are looking for a cash reward credit card. Through the reward program, cardholders earn a full 5% in cash rebates for gas purchases, up to 1% for general purchases, and .25% for purchases made at select warehouse clubs and discount stores. Those who spend up to $1,500 on general purchases will receive a .25% rebate, between $1,500 and $3,000 will receive a .5% rebate, and over $3,000 will receive a full 1% rebate.

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Kelly wins $25,000 in the lottery and decides to put this money away for the future. She deposits the cash in a money market fund and expects to earn an average of 4% APR for 10 years. Kelly's younger sister, Audrey, wants to accumulate the same amount of money as Kelly in 10 years, but Audrey doesn't have $25,000 lying around. Audrey decides to make monthly deposits at the same bank as Kelly, and she (Audrey) expects the same rate of return. How much does Audrey have to deposit each month to have the same amount as Kelly in 10 years?

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Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 15 Months, APR: 3.99% (for life on transferred balances). Blue from American Express® is an ideal credit card for those with good credit who already have an established credit history and are looking for a card with access to a reward program. Various American Express® services and benefits are provided with this card, such as purchase protection, auto rental insurance, a year-end financial statement, and various travel and emergency assistance services.

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Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 12 Months, APR: 10.99%. The Discover® Platinum Wildlife Card, issued by Morgan Stanley, is designed for those with very good credit who are looking for a Cashback Bonus® reward credit card. Through the reward program, cardholders earn a full 5% in cash rebates for purchases made at select merchants, up to 1% for general purchases, and .25% for purchases made at select warehouse clubs and discount stores. Those who spend up to $1,500 on general purchases will receive a .25% rebate, between $1,500 and $3,000 will receive a .5% rebate, and over $3,000 will receive a 1% rebate.

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"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

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.

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More credit, more options!

Credit options are your weapon against the banks! The key to success is using your credit lines to save money--not to go crazy spending!

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 to 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 ©2006 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.