Still Counting…Crosses in Lafayette, California


Image by Donnaphoto
Not as bad as Viet Nam, no , not quite yet,
But where’s the fight against Jihad & Islam, how will we ever repay our debt,
To the families who have sacrificed for untruths to fight in Iraq,
We’re not paying attention, other countries, Al Queda, they’re taking stock
Iran, Pakistan & N.Korea are planning, making nuclear weapons,
All while we misuse our brothers, fathers, and our sons,
Now our country is hit the bottom, we’re in total hock,
0Billion owed to China, lining pockets of the Bushes, Saudi’s and Exxon,
The last eight years, is it stupidity, bad management, or just a con?
To our soldiers and armed forces I feel fear, and I pray,
That your bravery is so diminished by political decay.

Credit Card Debt Management: Manage Your Credit Card Bebts Smartly

 

It is true that with a credit card you get an opportunity to buy anything instantly then be it a bag or a laptop. It is more like your own personal bank, from where you can draw a good amount of funds at point of time. But unfortunately, we forget that nothing in this world comes for free and even this lucrative financial support can turn into a big bag of debts, if used extensively. But now you do not need to worry about your credit card debts as numerous credit card debt management programs are available in the financial market to take care of all your credit card debts and directs the ways to manage all these debts sincerely.

A decent credit card debt management program constitutes of various effective measures that incorporated in a well planned manner to solve your deplorable debt management. It works on the basic strategy of first taking control of all your debts and then through a steady and gradual procedure all the credit card debts are paid off. As matter of fact, it not only clears your already exiting debts but also offers valuable techniques so that you can keep yourself away from the creation of another list of debts in future. Hence, while taking any credit card debt management plan, do not forget to consider all these steps to ensure a safe and good credit card expense in future.

Anybody, who is trapped in the vicious web of heavy credit card debts, should immediately search for a good credit card debt management plan provider. Nowadays, almost every bank, money lending agency and finance companies are offering the assistance of credit card debt management. However, it is mandatory for you to execute a productive market research before finalizing on any such debt management program. For this purpose, you can utilize the medium of internet where you can find categorized detailed information about their plan, work strategy and offered services. This kind of a research will allow you to draw a comparison between all different plans, so that you can easily pick the one that suits you the most. The company providing these management plans will first of all analyze all your debts as well as the rate of interest you have to pay. Then the financial planners will gauge your repaying capacity, so that an efficient monetary plan can be formulated. From this you can estimate the amount that you have to pay for clearing debts each month. Once this track sheet is prepared, they will then contact your creditors personally to negotiate the amount of debt and the levied rate of interest.

Another major problem with the concept of credit cards is that many people think that if they manage to use multiple credit cards, they can actually avoid the burden of debts. However, it is merely a misconception as with numerous credit cards, you can only increase your number of debts and rate of interest. Thus, if even you have been following the misleading theory of multiple credit cards for evading your debts then immediately reduce your number of credit cards and half of the credit card debt management job will be done.

 

Still Counting…Crosses in Lafayette, California


Image by Donnaphoto
Not as bad as Viet Nam, no , not quite yet,
But where’s the fight against Jihad & Islam, how will we ever repay our debt,
To the families who have sacrificed for untruths to fight in Iraq,
We’re not paying attention, other countries, Al Queda, they’re taking stock
Iran, Pakistan & N.Korea are planning, making nuclear weapons,
All while we misuse our brothers, fathers, and our sons,
Now our country is hit the bottom, we’re in total hock,
0Billion owed to China, lining pockets of the Bushes, Saudi’s and Exxon,
The last eight years, is it stupidity, bad management, or just a con?
To our soldiers and armed forces I feel fear, and I pray,
That your bravery is so diminished by political decay.

Debt Management Program: Relieves You From the Debt Trap

 

If you are fortunate then you will never get into the clutches of the debt trap. But not everyone is as fortunate. So, in case if you have borrowed money from different creditors and find it difficult to manage the repayments there are chances that you will get entangled in financial crisis. At such times, you can take help of debt management programs which help to plan your repayments and thus clear off the debts as soon as possible.

Normally, debt management comes into picture when the borrowed money is unsecured loan and from multiple creditors. You are required to approach a reputed debt management company who will appoint their personnel to plan your debt repayments. The person takes into account the monthly income and the current assets, if any. Taking this into consideration he makes a plan as to what is the affordable repayment figure for each creditor.

Debt management program serves many benefits. The biggest advantage is that the expenses on the current debts like late repayment fees and interest are to be waived. This avoids piling up of debts. Also, according to the available disposable income the planner decides upon the repayment figures, time span etc. The debt management companies can advice for free or can charge you a monthly fees depending upon the terms of the company.

After applying for a debt management program, your creditors won’t harass you anymore. The debt management company decides the amount to be paid to each creditor every month for a particular duration. And the creditor can not demand any change in this arrangement. The debt management company takes the entire responsibility and you don’t need to deal with the lenders. It can manage the funds varying from £3000 to £250000.

The company sends the repayment program to the lender who has to approve on the same. If 75 percent of the creditors (by value) agree then the program is valid and is effective.

Many people think loan consolidation as a better option. But with that you are again raising one more lender. And if it is a secured loan you have a risk to lose your property. Hence, when you feel that managing so many debts is out of your reach and you are facing a financial crisis then you must opt for debt management.

Still Counting…Crosses in Lafayette, California


Image by Donnaphoto
Not as bad as Viet Nam, no , not quite yet,
But where’s the fight against Jihad & Islam, how will we ever repay our debt,
To the families who have sacrificed for untruths to fight in Iraq,
We’re not paying attention, other countries, Al Queda, they’re taking stock
Iran, Pakistan & N.Korea are planning, making nuclear weapons,
All while we misuse our brothers, fathers, and our sons,
Now our country is hit the bottom, we’re in total hock,
0Billion owed to China, lining pockets of the Bushes, Saudi’s and Exxon,
The last eight years, is it stupidity, bad management, or just a con?
To our soldiers and armed forces I feel fear, and I pray,
That your bravery is so diminished by political decay.

Free Debt Management to Help You Fight Your Debt Problems

 

If you find yourself trapped in the debt trap, then it’s time to get out of it. This is because a debt trap can actually makes you weak financially. If you have taken unsecured loans from various parties and can’t afford to pay the same back then it’s time to get help from debt management programs. If you are a citizen of U.K. then this program is going to be very helpful to you.

There are many firms in U.K. which deal in debt management. Free debt management advice can be sought either online or offline. If you are charged any fees then too it is very nominal. Free debt management normally provides you advice which helps you get out of debt trap. But when you actually have to get professional help then you will be charged fees for the same. Approach a reputed debt management company which has a professional look out. This firm appoints for you a professional who makes all the required calculations when you feel that you are nearing bankruptcy.

Now, the professional person that the company appoints for you calculates the surplus income after deducting the costs of living and other household expenses. The professional person makes a package for you which comprises of the surplus income after deducting all the household and living expenses. This surplus income is used to pay off the creditors. There are many advantages served by the free debt management plan advice. You can use the free advice and ask the company to move forward. The best thing about a debt management program is that you can take a sigh of relief when you are simply unable to manage your debts. The overheads like interest and penalty freezes and so no new debt piling up will take place. The creditors can not change the pattern and amount of payment as decided by the debt management personnel. The creditors must approach the debt management company for making any changes in the terms of payment.

After bankruptcy, a person can start rebuilding their credit immediately by acquiring a credit card and paying off a small cash deposit to the credit card lender. Discover how to build a positive credit file withhelp from a registered financial consultant in this free video on money management and personal finance. Expert: Patrick Munro Contact: www.northstarnavigator.com Bio: Patrick Munro is a registered financial consultant (RFC) with outstanding sales volume of progressive financial products and solutions to the senior and boomer marketplace. Filmmaker: Reel Media LLC
Video Rating: 0 / 5

Debt Management Program: Manage your Debts Efficiently

If you have taken debts which you are unable to payoff due to any reason, then debt management program can be a great help to you. Debt management program is nothing but ways through which you can manage your debts and pay them off.

There are many banks, financial institutions and lending firms that offer debt management programs at nominal rates. Debt management program helps you to merge all your existing debts into a single debt at low interest arte that can be easily paid. Debt management program is actually a broader term used for various services like debt consolidation, credit counseling, negotiation with previous lenders etc.

1. Debt consolidation – debt management experts generally suggest you to opt for debt consolidation to get rid of your debts. Debt consolidation is a type of loan that can be availed to pay off all the previous debts. Debt consolidation loans generally carry lower interest rate compared to other loans. There are basically two types of debt consolidation loans. Secured debt consolidation loans and unsecured debt consolidation loans. If you need larger amount of money then secured debt consolidation loans are best for you. To avail it you will have to place one of your properties as collateral against the lender. This can be any of your personal properties like home, car, jewelry etc. with secured debt consolidation loans you can avail large amount of money to the tune of £ 75000. The repayment duration is also very flexible ranging from 5 – 25 years. Secured debt consolidation loans carry very low interest rate because collateral is involved. On the other hand unsecured debt consolidation loans can be availed without placing any collateral against the loan amount. The loan amount is smaller and ranges from £ 1000 – £25000. The repayment duration of unsecured debt consolidation loans ranges from 1 – 10 years.

2. Negotiation with the lender – the lender who offers you debt consolidation loans holds talk with your previous lenders in order to reduce the interest rate of your debts on your behalf.

3. Credit counseling – financial experts on behalf of lenders suggest you ways to manage your expenditures and savings. Also they suggest you ways through which you can stay from debt traps in future.

Debt management programs are open to bad credit borrowers also. People suffering from arrears, defaults, CCJ, IVA, bankruptcy etc can also avail all the benefits of debt management programs.

With debt management programs you can easily mange all your debts and pay them off.

www.mint.com The importance of good credit in our society is unquestionable — as is the destructive power of its ugly cousin, bad credit. Yet, millions of consumers succumb to materialistic temptations or fall into the many traps laid forth by credit-card companies (ever tried making only the minimum payments on a large credit card balance?). And while wise credit management isn’t an easy skill to learn and maintain, battling your “bad credit demons” is even more difficult. To illustrate the importance of staying out of debt while building and maintaining a good credit history, we give you Mint.com’s short epic, The Quest for Credit. The presentation may be humorous, but don’t get us wrong bad credit is no laughing matter. If you need help with battling your debt demons, check out the budgeting tools at www.mint.com.

Circuit City


Image by Ed Yourdon
This is (or was) the Circuit City store on Broadway, between 79th & 80th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has been in this location for years and years and years … but in late 2008, the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and when they could find no buyers or financial support, they declared Chapter 7 and began liquidating. The "going out of business" sign above the entrance makes that pretty clear, and the various other signs in the windows create a real sense of urgency…

Note: this photo was published in a Feb 5, 2009 blog article entitled "After-Effects of Circuit City Bankruptcy." It was also published in a Feb 12, 2009 blog entitled "Surviving an economic recession – Survival tips," as well as a blog on the same date titled "Employment outlook for North Carolina." And it was published in a Feb 27, 2009 blog entitled "3 Ways A Small Business Can Survive An Economic Recession." It was also published in a March 2, 2009 Salon blog entitled "The plug is pulled on Circuit City," and a March 9, 2009 blog entitled "The Best Email I Got Today [Sad]." And it was published in a Mar 11, 2009 Brazilian blog article entitled "O melhor e-mail que recebi hoje ."

Good grief, this is getting ridiculous: the photo was also published in a June 4, 2009 blog titled "What Happens When a Small Business Declares Bankruptcy?" And it was published in a Feb 22, 2009 blog titled "Employment outlook for North Carolina." And it was published in a Jun 23, 2009 blog titled " Why Electronics Stores ‘Suck’." And it was published in a Jul 25, 2009 blog titled "Hanging Tough." I’ve recently discovered that it was also published in a Mar 13, 2009 PBS blog titled " Why Are So Many Companies Collapsing So Suddenly?"

The fun just doesn’t seem to stop: the photo was published again in an Aug 14, 2009 blog titled "Circuit City (what’s left of it) sells your name to the highest bidder." And on the same day, it was published in a blog titled "Three Steps to Keep a Job in Tough Economic Times," the URL for which I can’t seem to get Flickr to accept. Well, you’ll just have to take my word for it, or do your own Google search for a blog posting with that title… Meanwhile, it was also published in an Oct 10, 2009 blog titled "Declaring Yourself Bankrupt."

I also discovered it in a Mar 10, 2009 issue of the Brazilian edition of Gizmodo, in a blog posting titled "O melhor e-mail que recebi hoje," but someone had pasted in an announcement that said "CompUSA.com Retail Stores: the Grand Reopening" — which definitely was not in my original photo. And it was published in a Dec 28, 2009 blog titled "The Most Important Tech Products, Events, and People of 2009."

Moving into 2010, the photo was published in a Feb 4, 2010 blog titled "5 Reasons You May Want to Start a Side Business." And it was published in a Mar 5, 2010 blog titled "33,000 Lost Their Jobs Last Month — Read This Book If You’re One (Or Have Already Been Canned)." It was also published in a Mar 15, 2010 True/Slant blog titled "It’s time for the banks to bail out the U.S." And it was published in an Apr 12, 2010 blog titled "Personal Bankruptcies Hit a High and May Keep Rising." It was also published in a May 5, 2010 blog titled "5 Reasons You May Want to Start a Side Business." And it was published in a May 25, 2010 blog titled "Warning Signs of Business Bankruptcy." It was also published in a June 3, 2010 blog titled "Tough economic times demand tighter spending, but will new frugality last?" And it was published in a Jun 20, 2010 blog simply titled "Circuit City." It was also published in a Sep 29, 2010 blog titled "Credit Card Debt Management: Get Freedom From All Debts in a Convenient Manner ." And it was published in a Nov 10, 2010 blog titled "What is a good APR on a credit card for someone who has a fair/good credit history?" And it was published in a Nov 19, 2010 blog titled "Tips for the success of small online business."

***************

These are photos that I began taking in mid-December of 2008, after the government helpfully informed us that the recession (a word they had dared not use before, just as they refuse to use the word "depression" now) has actually been in effect since December 2007.

Having lived through roughly half a dozen previous recessions, with nothing but vague memories to mark their existence, I thought it would be useful to start gathering some photographic memories of the current one. It may or may not turn out to be as severe as the Great Depression of the 1930′s, and it may or may not produce the kind of grim photographs that we have of that era … but we won’t really know until it’s over, and our 20-20 hindsight might be better informed with some pictures.

Thus far, I have only a few pictures of signs showing steep discounts; these are interesting, but it’s the "human story" that I think will tell the more important story. But I’ve also noticed an increase in the number of homeless people on the street, asking for money, food, and handouts; but I have no direct evidence that it’s associated with the recession itself. In any case, I’m reluctant to take advantage of such people by taking casual photos of them; I’m sure more appropriate opportunities will present themselves, and I’ll add them to the album as I find them…

Debt Management Programs And Services

Outstanding credit card balances comprise a huge problem for today’s consumers. Consumer debt doubled between 1995 and 2005, and so have the number of existing agencies to help people pay off what they owe. Debt prevention and management services are a thriving business intended to relieve stress and pressure on those whose debt has spiraled out of control, and help get them back on the right track.

What are Debt Management Services?
Debt management programs are designed to help people who may be able to pay back their debt over time, but are having trouble getting a consolidation loan or who do not wish to pursue debt settlement. Debt management companies amass all of your credit cards, loans, and other unsecured debts and combine them into one monthly payment. The debt management service then pays each creditor, usually taking a nominal percentage in commission.

In order to settle up your accounts, a debt management service will contact all of your creditors to arrange lower interest rates and reduced charges whenever possible. Some services also offer credit counseling and other programs to help you achieve financial stability.

Types of Debt Management Services

Debt management is not the same as debt settlement or debt consolidation. It differs from debt settlement in that it does not change the amount of the debt owed – but instead restructures the existing debt payback schedule. Creditors may agree to lower interest rates on the debt to facilitate repayment. Debt settlement involves negotiating to pay back only a portion of a debt (rather than declaring bankruptcy and paying nothing), and debt consolidation loans allow you to combine several debts into one new loan at a lower interest rate. Both of these programs result in the creation of new payment terms. Debt management, on the other hand, enables you to pay back all or most of your existing debt without taking out a new loan, with a new intermediary helping you keep track of the payments.

Most debt management programs will offer credit counseling services, helping you create a new budget and spending plan to prevent you from sinking back into debt again. Others leave the budgeting process up to you. The common factor in all debt management services is that they receive one large monthly payment and break it down into smaller payments to disperse to each creditor or lender.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Debt management services are a practical way to simplify your finances for easier management of a large number of debts. They relieve you of some of the burden of by managing the payment and distribution of your credit card and loan payments.

Because it’s critical that all payments are dispersed to creditors in a timely manner, it’s wise to be very selective in choosing a debt management counselor. It’s a good idea to compare the rates and services of various providers to ensure that you’ll find the arrangement that best suits your situation. Some debt management programs may take a percentage of each payment, while others charge additional fees.

Generally, this service is reserved for unsecured debts, like credit cards and personal loans. Debt management is rarely used on secured debts like mortgages and car loans. 

Debt management programs can have a negative impact on your credit. Any changes to your loans or credit card debts that are negotiated by a debt management company can potentially appear on your credit history, and may be looked on unfavorably by future lenders. These marks on your credit, however, are generally less significant than missed or late payments, and definitely less harmful than debt settlement or bankruptcy.