Showing posts with label financial situations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label financial situations. Show all posts

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Debt Free By 30 – Is this Goal Realistic or Possible?

Debt Free By 30 – Is this Goal Realistic or Possible?

Debt Free by 30 – this is a dream that a lot of younger people have, especially those who have learned about finances.
Some younger people would like to be debt free by 30 so that they can feel the confidence of owning their home, be able to stay at home with their children, or to be able to start saving for retirement. 
Perhaps you are struggling with debt from student loans or credit card debt. Maybe you or your spouse has recently lost a job. Is it realistic to have a goal of being debt free by 30, particularly if you are in your early to mid twenties? Some younger people would like to be debt free by 30 so that they can feel the confidence of owning their home, be able to stay at home with their children, or to be able to start saving for retirement. 
Here are some tips to help you reach this goal: 

1. Work hard. This sounds so simplistic, but it is the truth. Many people think of their twenties as still a “time to have fun”, but if you want to be able to pay off debt, you probably should concentrate on getting a good-paying job. Work as many hours as you can, and work overtime if possible. In fact, if your debt or loans are really high, you may want to take on a second job. At least when you are young, you will have a lot of energy for this! 

2. Spend Less Money. Every time you go out to eat, you probably blow $20+ that you could be using to pay down your debt. Add up all the little things you waste money on: expensive coffee on the way to work, name brand clothing, high-priced makeup, etc. Then stop spending the money. Every Friday or Saturday night if you go out, you are wasting more money, and time that could be spent working. I’m not saying you can never have fun, but living debt free does require sacrifice. 
3. Don’t expect to have the same standard of living as your parents. If your parents live in a beautiful house or condo, with a big-screen television, and brand new cars, realize that they worked for years to get to that point. Many newlyweds or singles make the mistake of wanting to have everything that mom and dad had right away. It’s just not possible, unless you go into debt to do it. Settle for the smaller apartment; put off getting the new car. It is worth it to save the money. 

4. Save money. If you do not have a savings account start one now. Online savings accounts typically give you the best rate of return on your money. Put aside a reasonable amount of money ($500-$1000) for a rainy day. Then save more as you are able. Of course, always make paying down your debt your first priority. 

It is possible to be debt free by 30 (or 40, or 50!). Do not be discouraged. Remember, you will be benefiting not only yourself, but your family and your children.

Thursday, 21 November 2013

Debt Settlement Relief. How Can I Reduce My Debt?

If you have the time,  knowledge and resources, you can do it yourself.  Otherwise it’s often a better idea to hire a professional and pay them to take care of it for you. 
For many people, debt settlement is a last stop before visiting a trustee and filing for bankruptcy. It is also often less expensive and kinder to your credit rating.
Debt settlement is often confused with debt consolidation or debt management. In debt consolidation and debt management, the consumer makes monthly payments to the debt consolidator, who takes a fee and passes the rest on to the creditors; this way, creditors continue to receive payments each month.
In debt settlement, the consumer makes monthly payments, out of which the debt settlement company takes its fees for the legal work or negotiation and payments are paid to the creditor.
the debt settlement company may get the creditor to accept a settlement of 40 cents to the dollar, but the client pays 50 cents on the dollar. The debt settlement company benefit from the extra 10 cents in this case.
The concept of debt settlement is simple. Your credit card company would prefer to get something,
rather than nothing
With so many people in dire financial situations , many creditors are now willing to negotiate, so a debt consolidation loan may be worth considering.
In the present economy if your in debt trouble your in plenty of company. Credit counselors work with the client  and get between you and the creditor.
As an Alternative To Bankruptcy A debt settlement counselor negotiates better terms with the bank or credit card company. Be extremely careful there are bad apples in both camps and they're not all easy to spot. If you're contemplating debt settlement, first talk to an experienced bankruptcy attorney about your situation. If you decide to hire a debt-settlement company, be prepared to do plenty of research. with little regulation and no guarantees, you'll want to choose carefully. Bankruptcy is cheaper; debt settlement is faster.