COOL QUOTE " Forget the fat lady--it ain't over until the check clears!" --Scott Bilker Quotes from all previous newsletters IN THIS ISSUE #132 Letter from the publisher Cool Quote Cheapest pre-paid phone rates Credit card balance transfers Scott Bilker's MySpace Page DebtSmart Amazon aStore More credit card and debt statistics Blue Cash® for Business Credit Card "A Ray of Sunshine" Discover® Business Card Household Math™: Dinner before the tip Blue from American Express® Discover® Platinum Wildlife Card Stop Debt Collectors Cold! The Credit Repair Kit plus bonus CD! Rating Your Credit Card Credit Cards Come to Vending Machines: Students and All Consumers Beware 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 Room and Board Pricing trends in higher education estimated that students will pay nearly $400 more for this year's room and board than they did last year. It also stated that on-campus housing expenses now average $6,636 and $7,791 at four-year public and private universities, respectively. 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 The Credit Repair Kit plus bonus CD! What do you think of when you hear the words "credit repair"? I think of scam! That's because many companies have made promises to "fix" people's credit but then simply stole their money. However, there are still reputable sources for people to learn how to straighten out their credit reports. Your credit report is your financial résumé and everyone from lenders to insurance agents reviews it. It's vital that there are no mistakes shown, and if there are, that they're removed! There are many books on the subject but my personal favorite is The Credit Repair Kit. That's because Joe Sainz offers great practical advise for correcting errors. Plus, he includes a Credit Booster CD-ROM with the book! If you're having trouble getting the rates you deserve because of your credit report, then you must read this book! Read more about The Credit Repair Kit plus bonus CD...

Hi,

Did you know that MySpace.com is delivering more email than Yahoo.com? That's amazing--or maybe it's not. Over the past two years, MySpace has grown and grown, despite occasional bad press. Shady characters are lurking out there. But you know, it's like a microcosm of society. So, use common sense: avoid seedy areas and choose your friends wisely.

I've started a MySpace page to bring together my local friends with my business friends--a place where you can get to know me better and also get to know me personally.

You have to create an account to click on pictures and video. (The account is free and easy to set up.) If you're interested, you'll be able to watch a video of me from 1984 (I'm a senior in high school). It's on MySpace.

 WARNING:  I can only control the look of my MySpace page. Links to friends, or people commenting, or any other links on MySpace, may lead to weird, distasteful, offensive and/or inappropriate material. My MySpace page is here--check it out. And if you visit, please be my friend. I need friends! ;)

Oh yeah, I've been working on setting up an Amazon aStore. You can recommend nine featured items. This is great for a couple reasons: (1) I get to let you know about my favorite books; (2) The small, and I mean small, commissions do help support DebtSmart.com. I recommend the books that have made a difference in my life. Take a look here and get a few. I hope these books help you as much as they helped me.

One last item, there's a new show out on A&E called Big Spender. Larry Winget hosts the show. I heard Larry interviewed on Fox News last week with one of the people he worked with on the show. Larry is tough! He's a cash and debit card guy--which, in my opinion, is NOT DebtSmart.

He is right about analyzing spending and cutting out excess. But, as you know, using credit cards as a financial tool can  save you money! And get you out of debt faster. Still, I'll be tuning in to watch Larry. Looks interesting.

Talk to you later.

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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Scott,

A friend told me that they heard that continually doing balance transfers from one credit card to another can negatively affect my credit rating, and that they also heard that there is a limit to how many balance transfers I can do. However, they did not know what that limit is. I've read in at least one of your books that you are constantly doing balance transfers to whatever is the best offer available at the time.

Is there a limit on how many balance transfers I can do in a year, or even my lifetime? Do specific credit card companies have their own limits? Will the balance transfers hurt my credit rating if I am paying down my credit cards and even paying off others during this process?

Amy

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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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"A ray of sunshine: your books arrived! They are exactly what I hoped they'd be, and they tempt me to ignore all else, as I devour them. I'm starting with Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, and, although I ordered it to learn how to help my sister and brother-in-law, I'm finding information that I can use to help myself, too. You were right to 'guarantee' that your 'books will help.' To paraphrase you, I've gotten mad, I'm getting smart--thanks to you--and I'll soon pick up that phone! My only regret is that I didn't think to ask you to autograph the books before you shipped them. Perhaps I'll have the opportunity to meet you someday, and I'll remedy that omission. Now, back to your phone calls..."

Enthusiastically,
Anne

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

Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 12 Months, APR: 5.99%. The Discover® Business 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% on the first $2,000 in office supply purchases, a full 2% on the first $2,000 in gas purchases, up to 1% for other purchases, and .25% for purchases made at select warehouse clubs and discount stores. A 5.99% introductory rate is available on balance transfers until the last day of the billing period ending during June 2007. The introductory rate is available on purchases until the last day of the billing period ending during September 2007.

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Rachel was telling Jack about her romantic date with Dave. Jack is a man that is more concerned with the cost of the frolic than the details of their amorous evening. Jack asked Rachel how much the tab was for food only (tax included). Rachel was too focused on Dave to remember the amount for the actual dinners, but she did remember tipping the waiter 16% and that the final bill, tip included, was $159.50. Jack was quite amazed that Rachel would remember so much, but not recall the cost of the dinner before the tip. Of course, Jack knows his math and can easily figure it out. Can you? What is the cost of the dinner before the tip?

Answer this problem

Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 15 Months, APR: 4.99% (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.

Read more about this card

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

According to industry experts, cashless vending machines are coming our way quickly. In fact, folks in Philadelphia will soon be able to use a credit card at 1,000 Coke machines. And it's expected that by 2009, over half the vending machines in the U.S. will take credit cards.

That's good news...if you are a careful budgeter, spender, and bill payer. It can only make life more convenient for you--whether you're indulging in a quick sweet treat or making do while you're pacing around a hospital emergency room.

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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.