Let 2009 Be The Year You Clean Up Your Credit Report!

Did you know that studies show that up to 70% of credit reports contain errors? In today’s economy, these inaccuracies can harm your credit score, cause you to pay higher interest rates and even put you at risk for identity theft.

Check your report today to spot errors and fix bad information! You’ll also see your credit score which can change at any minute without warning. Banks are notorious for monitoring your credit score, waiting to hit you with incredibly high interest rates the second your score drops. Then you end up paying more in interest during times when interest rates are the lowest in decades!

	3-Bureau Credit Monitoring – be instantly alerted to new inquiries on your credit report across all 3 bureaus.
	Credit Score Tracker – recieve automatic email notifications when there has been a significant shift – up or down – in your credit score.
	Online Dispute Center – find contact information for the credit bureaus to dispute any erroneous information.

Popularity: 17% [?]

There are hundreds of law firms and professional agencies out there that specialize in credit repair, and it’s my opinion (along with that of many other industry experts) that credit repair law firms like Lexington Law are nothing more than scams.

Why, you ask? Read on:

They charge ridiculous monthly fees.

Lexington currently charges a $99 fee up front to set up your account, and between $39 to $79 every month that they work on your file. Since they charge monthly, the more time they take to repair your credit, the more money they make. In fact, some credit law firms tell you that it could take a year, two years, or even three years ($567 to $2,000) to repair your credit (and in the meantime, they’re getting very rich). Why pay $2,000 or even $500, when there are excellent credit repair software programs available for less than $100?

You do most of the work.

Here’s a dirty little secret that credit law firms don’t want you to discover: you still must do most of the work yourself — more work, in fact, than you will do by using software to repair your credit (more about that later).

First, there is all the paperwork you have to fill out and get notarized. Then, you must personally request your own credit reports. Finally, since the credit bureaus mail all documents directly to you, you will find yourself constantly making copies of them, putting them into a new envelope, and sending them off to the law firm. In order to stay on top of things, you might have to do this five or six times every week. The credit repair law firm will then scan your credit reports and post them on the web for you to access (hmmm — would you be a bit concerned about security here?) Then, believe it or not, even with all the money you’re paying them, it’s still your job to go to their website and choose for yourself which items you want to dispute and even indicate how to challenge each negative credit item.

In the end, all the law firm does is print out form letters and send them to the credit bureaus. Knowing all this, does it make you a little uncomfortable that the longer they take, the more money they make?

Their “Satisfaction Guarantee” is meaningless.

If all they manage to do is remove one credit card inquiry they’ve met the conditions of their agreement, so there’s no money back even if 99% of your credit report is still negative after three years and $2,000.

So you see, these law firms are often nothing more than letter-printing factories that make more money the longer they can draw things out. So why should you pay so much money for such a minimal amount of service? Especially since it’s possible to accomplish the same results with much less work at a fraction of the cost.

There are better alternatives to using credit repair law firms like Lexington Law. The best credit repair solution we’ve discovered so far is Credit Repair Magic. Priced at only $97, it’s the fastest and most cost-effective credit repair solution we’ve ever found. Don’t waste your time with useless e-books or ridiculously overpriced monthly services. Download the best best credit repair software anywhere today!

Popularity: 12% [?]

If your credit rating is in need of repair, you’ve probably searched the Internet, consulted the Yellow Pages, and asked your friends for recommendations on the best course of action to follow for credit repair. It may seem like there are hundreds of options available, and trying to research them all can be more than a little intimidating. However for the most part, all credit repair solutions can be divided into four categories: professional repair services, credit bureau instructions, DIY programs, and credit repair software.

Read on for a few details about these four types of credit repair solutions, and which ones we think are the best.

Worst: Professional Credit Repair Services

It sounds great to simply pay a company to “take care of everything for you,” but all credit repair services (and that includes law firms that specialize in credit repair) have two dirty little secrets they try their best to hide from you.

First, since they charge monthly for their service, they make more money — up to $2,000 — if they deliberately drag out the process, which is why they often take two or three years.

Second, if you use one of these services, you actually wind up doing MORE work than if you just did it yourself. In addition to filling out dozens of forms, the credit repair services require YOU to personally choose which items on your report to dispute, and how to dispute them. In addition, you have to constantly send them copies of the information that the credit bureaus send you.

Better: Follow Instructions Given By The Credit Bureaus.

Really, isn’t this like the wolf instructing the sheep? The credit bureaus are NOT your friends — their reason for existence is to provide information to financial institutions that will maximize their profitability. Even though it costs you nothing to try to repair your credit by following Credit Bureau instructions, you will get what you pay for. Don’t do it.

Even Better: Do-It-Yourself Programs (typically a printed book, an e-book, or an audio program).

Just search the Internet — there are hundreds of these programs available, but the vast majority of them are hopelessly outdated. If you are extremely organized and have lots of free time available, the process these books describe will work fairly well … eventually.

Best: Credit Repair Software

There are several companies that offer their own custom credit repair software (not just an e-book or online instructions). Like anything else, you need to be careful and do your research, because some are rip-offs (take a clue from their website – is it professional-looking? does it work properly?). However, many credit repair software products combine the best of all worlds: simplicity, low price, and fast results.

Better quality credit software ranges in price from $97 to $1,000 or more, but there’s no reason to spend the higher amounts. In our experience, the best credit repair solution for the money is Credit Repair Magic. Priced at only $97, it’s the fastest and most cost-effective credit repair solution we’ve ever found. Don’t waste your time with useless e-books or ridiculously overpriced monthly services. Download the best credit repair software available anywhere today.

Popularity: 6% [?]

If you’ve had difficulties being approved for a traditional credit card, then you may want to consider a prepaid credit card as a way to begin building  or rebuilding your credit.

Prepaid credit cards are still backed by the major credit card companies, which means you’ll have the security of a traditional card. You don’t have to worry about credit checks or employment checks because you’re not borrowing any money. Since you can only spend money that has already been put on deposit, there are no issues with affordability or previous repayment history.

Using a prepaid credit card gives you an interest-free way to access the benefits of a credit card for paying bills and making purchases, but you won’t be increasing your debt levels. You could also benefit from having your payments reported to the credit bureaus, which will increase your credit score slowly as well.

Be sure to do some research before applying for your card, because you will want one that will report your payments to a credit bureau in order to experience the benefits of better credit. Not all companies who offer prepaid cards choose to report your speding activity, so be sure to choose one that does.

Using your prepaid credit card is not all that different from a traditional credit card. The primary difference of course is that you’re not increasing your debt levels by spending the bank’s money. You use your own money to prepay into the account and then pay your bills using your card.

The biggest benefit of using a prepaid card for anyone with bad credit is that you’re not increasing your debt and you won’t be charged interest on your purchases. Remember, the money you spend using your prepaid card already belongs to you.

Another great advantage of this type of card is that you’re forced to learn to be more responsible with your spending habits. Because you can’t purchase things unless you’ve managed to deposit money into your account first, it also teaches better control of your finances.

Learning to apply responsible budgeting practices is a great way to avoid getting stuck in the bad credit cycle again in future. When you develop an awareness of how much you spend and are careful about how much money you spend on shopping trips, you’re learning to allocate money for priorities instead of buying things on impulse. This will help you build positive spending habits rather than putting you further into debt.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Did you know that banks WANT you to repair bad credit?

Over 70% of Americans have a FICO score that is considered to be sub-prime — that is, a credit score lower than 670. When people have a credit report with a low score, it alerts lending institutions to the fact that they already have a history of being unreliable when paying their bills.

Customers with bad credit are penalized by banks in the form of higher interest rates and fees when they apply for a credit card or loan — or if their credit report is bad enough, a bank will simply refuse to give them credit at all.

You see, although some people believe that these extra costs are unfair, and merely take more money from those who can least afford it, in reality banks are not charities. They are in business to make a profit, just like all other businesses. For this reason, they need to see whether you are a good risk and likely to repay their money, or a poor risk who has already shown a tendency to renege on a financial contract.

Credit Reporting Bureaus were created to provide lenders with accurate information about those who wish to borrow money from them. The credit history provided by the Credit Reporting Bureau tells your bank what kind of customer you’ve been in the past… and because most people tend to repeat the patterns they’ve established in their lives, it also tells them what kind of customer you are likely to be in the future.

When you have a high credit score, a bank or credit card company will generally assume that you will be a great customer. You have a history of managing your current credit well, and you’ve shown that you pay your bills on time. When you apply to a financial institution for additional credit, the bank already knows that they are going to get their money back and that your payments are very likely going to be made on time and as agreed. When customers have high credit scores, banks will reward them with more favorable interest rates and lower fees.

However when a customer with a poor credit score applies for a loan or credit card, their credit report has already shown the bank that he or she has trouble repaying debts and may often be late with their bill payments. The bank is taking a much higher risk if they approve a credit application from a customer with a bad credit score. The poor credit score indicates that there have been financial issues in the past or the customer’s repayment history is bad, so the bank will charge higher interest rates and fees to offset the risk they take in giving this client money.

In banking terms, this is referred to as rate for risk. The higher the risk to the bank, the higher the interest rate that will be paid by the client.

No bank, lender or credit card company, or financial institution anywhere in the world wants to take legal action against a customer. They really don’t want to repossess your car, motorcycle, or boat, and they don’t want to foreclose on your mortgage and make you homeless. Really. As a business, they are much more successful and profitable when you when you pay all your bills on time and are therefore entitled to keep all your assets.

But if they are not receiving their payments on a timely basis, they are losing money and have little choice but to try to salvage the situation somehow. Banks will only resort to these tactics when it appears that they have no remaining alternatives to get their money back — the money you did promise to repay when you applied for and agreed to the terms of the loan.

So if you already have bad credit or if you’re behind on your payments, it’s vital that you call your creditors and arrange for payment terms immediately. They won’t bite you and they won’t threaten you. Most importantly, they don’t want to lose a customer. In fact, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what they’ll be willing to do to help a profit-making customer to catch up any late payments.

If you’re falling behind, then they still believe you can catch up, fix your bad credit and be turned into a great customer. This is why they’re so willing to help you! It also means that you can save yourself a lot of money on interest rates and benefit from easy credit terms simply by being aware of how the system works and doing your best to comply with it.

So, if your credit score could use some improvement, it’s time to start taking some steps to repair your credit and reduce your interest rates today!

Popularity: 27% [?]

With this software, credit repair is as easy as point-and-click. Watch the video below for more information on how not to get ripped off by credit repair law firms or ridiculous credit repair e-books.

Visit paycreditcarddebt.info/crm today, and be amazed at what Credit Repair Magic can do for you!

Popularity: 26% [?]

Have you ever been tempted by credit repair promises you’ve seen on TV infomercials or on the Internet?

These credit repair companies promise to fix your credit problems, increase your credit score and wipe out negative information from your credit report. Some will even promise to increase your credit score permanently. It sounds like a dream come true.

Unfortunately these wild promises usually come with an enormous price tag — a fee that you can’t afford to pay if you’re already in financial trouble.

The Federal Trade Commission warns that many companies offering to repair credit problems might not be completely legitimate. In spite of what they are advertising, there is simply no way to completely repair bad credit overnight.

Of course, there are some companies that CAN legitimately and legally help with ways to improve your credit score.

So how do you choose the right company and avoid the scams?

Spot the Scam

If you’re looking into a credit repair company that demands fees up front before they’ve done any work, then be very skeptical.

If you run across any company that is suggesting you apply for a new Employer Identification Number (EIN) and simply ’start over’ with a clean slate, run screaming in the opposite direction. This strategy is not legal, so if you attempt it you could find yourself in serious trouble.

If a credit repair company doesn’t offer you information about any credit repair measures you can perform on your own, for no cost,  consider this another sure sign you’re dealing with a less-than-reputable company. If they insist that the only way you’re ever going to get any help is to pay them huge fees, run!

It is illegal to attempt to remove accurate information about your past financial history. If you have a bankruptcy or repossession listed, then these details will remain on your credit report no matter what any company promises you.

If an unscrupulous credit repair company has already taken your money and given nothing in return but false promises, report them to your local consumer affairs office immediately.

The Real Deal

Some credit repair companies legitimately want to help you to get out of trouble. These companies will help you to fix any erroneous information that you may find on your credit report. They’ll help to negotiate with your creditors to lower your interest rates and set up a realistic payment plan.

Any company that is completely up front and honest about which credit items can be repaired and which ones can’t and then tells you before you begin precisely what fees will be involved is most likely trying to do the right thing by helping you.

Make sure you ask for and receive a copy of the brochure “Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law.” You should also receive a detailed description of the exact services the company will perform on your behalf.

If your credit is bad enough to warrant professional credit repair assistance, make sure you find a professional, accredited company and discuss all your options before signing any contracts or paying any fees.

Popularity: 14% [?]

One of the most effective debt reduction methods is the snowball method. In fact, this is one of the main methods that my family and I used to pay off the crushing level of debt that we found ourselves with.

This popular way of reducing debt has numerous benefits for anyone wanting to get rid of any outstanding loans and credit cards. In addition to dropping your debt levels and outstanding balances quickly, the snowball method also helps improve your credit score, teaches you to gain control over your spending habits, and to budget easily and effectively.

Here’s how it works:

Snowball Debt Reduction Method Step One:

List all your outstanding debts on a sheet of paper or spreadsheet. Write down the creditor’s name, the interest percentage charged and your minimum monthly payment. Sort your list by the size of your outstanding balances — smallest to highest. Be sure to check your statements on each account to be verify that you’re working with the correct interest levels.

Snowball Debt Reduction Method Step Two:

Look at your current spending patterns carefully and see where you might be able to re-allocate a few dollars toward debt repayment instead of treats. For example, let’s assume you can cut $3 each week by sacrificing one trip to the coffee shop. It’s such a tiny amount of money that you won’t miss it if you don’t spend it. So go ahead and buy your regular coffee every day except for one day… you only sacrifice one cup per week.

That small sacrifice will give you an extra $12 per month to add to your snowball debt reduction plan. It doesn’t seem like a lot of money, but you’ll be surprised how quickly it can add up toward reducing your debts.

If you’re really determined to reduce your debt, see if you can find more available cash each week from your spending habits, and use this extra money toward your debt reduction plan.

Snowball Debt Reduction Method Step Three:

From your list of outstanding debts, select the one with the smallest balance. You’re going to work on reducing this smallest debt first. Don’t worry about which interest rates are being charged on which accounts.

The point of starting with the smallest debt is to start right out making some measurable progress and increase your confidence that you really can pay off your debts on your own. It helps to keep you motivated when you can see results.

Remember in the previous step we assumed you would sacrifice just one cup of coffee each week at $3 per cup? This means you’re paying an extra $12 every month on top of your normal minimum payment. So, add this amount to your minimum payment amount and divide this new payment by 4.

Round up this weekly payment to the nearest dollar and begin sending a check for this amount every single week. Don’t be tempted to miss a week. You can schedule online payments to come out of your account automatically if you don’t trust yourself to remember to make the payment manually.

Keep focused on making payments on this smaller debt until the balance is down to zero and then close the account. Don’t charge any other purchases to this balance. You want to pay it off and get rid of it.

Once you start seeing real debt reduction results it’s often tempting to look more closely at your budget and start to cut other areas of your spending as well. If you can find even a couple of extra dollars each week to put more money toward your debt then do it. $2 might not seem like much but it really adds up when you can see how much it’s helping in the long run.

Snowball Debt Reduction Method Step Four:

Once you’ve managed to completely reduce your first debt down to zero don’t stop there! You should now have the amount of money you were paying off your first debt to spare each week. Put this entire amount on top of your payment for the next debt in line.

Your new payment on the next debt is now the minimum you were paying previously plus the amount you were paying on the debt you already cleared.

Some lenders require notification of how you want the extra payments allocated. This means you may need to call your lender or credit company to tell them to apply each of your payments directly off the principal. Don’t be afraid to call and ask them.

Snowball Debt Reduction Method Step Five:

Hopefully by now you have begun to create a new, positive repayment habit. You should start seeing some real results if you’ve stayed focused and disciplined.

When your next debt in the line is down to a zero balance and the account is closed, apply the amount you were paying each week to reducing the next debt you have and keep repeating this process until your debts are completely paid off. You will probably find that your budget is almost automatic by this time.

You will be surprised at how quickly you can reduce your debts with this simple snowball method of debt reduction. It’s fast and it’s effective — so stay focused on your goal and you’ll get rid of your debt once and for all!

Popularity: 22% [?]

Anyone who already has a low credit score knows that banks will happily charge you penalties and higher interest rates on your credit cards and loans. If your score has dropped too low then you may not be able to get approved for a new loan at all.

Raising your credit score is not only a great way to become eligible for lower interest rates, but it could also mean breathing easier with your repayments each month.

It is possible for you to easily increase your credit score. It just takes a little planning and some discipline. You won’t even need to pay ridiculously high fees to some credit repair company when you do it yourself.

Here are some simple steps that will help improve your credit score.

1. Remove negative listings.
   It is very common for financial institutions to neglect to remove negative listings once you’ve cleared up any disputes you may have had. You are legally allowed to write to the 3 major credit reporting bureaus on your own regarding these listings. Your letter should request an investigation into any negative listings that appear on your credit report. Once they receive your letter they have 30 days to investigate your inquiry. If they can’t verify these entries, then they are required to remove them.
2. Payment timing counts.
   Although your bank or credit card company only reports on your repayment conduct monthly, there are no limits on the number of payments you can make each month. If you receive a paycheck each week, it is to your advantage to divide your required monthly payment by four and make a payment each time you get paid. You won’t be paying any additional money — you are just paying more frequently. This extra payment activity is noted by the credit reporting bureaus and helps to increase your credit score.
3. Catch up on overdue payments.
   This is the quickest possible repair solution for anyone with bad credit. Catch up on any overdue payments you have with all your creditors, and if you don’t have the cash to pay everything off right away, call and negotiate a realistic payment plan. Then when you’re completely caught up, call them and ask if they’ll notify the credit reporting bureaus that all payments have been met.
4. Low balances, high limits.
   If you’ve been diligent about paying off your debts, then you should have a low balance compared to your available limit. However, even  if you’re maxxed out and already at your credit limit, it may be possible to open new credit accounts with high limits… but make sure you keep the balance on these new accounts low, or even zero. When calculating your credit score, low balances with high available credit shows positive discipline and your score will increase because of it. However, if you’re the type of person who will be tempted to run up large balances on these new accounts, this is not a good option for you. It will only make your credit score even worse.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Bestselling author Jason R. Rich joins forces with top credit experts to bring you this insider’s guide to credit. Revealing jaw-dropping secrets, strategies and tools, Rich and his team of industry insiders show you how to get out from under any credit crunch, and get back in control of your financial future — in less than 12 months!

Discover how to increase your credit score, remove incorrect and negative information from your credit reports, rebuild destroyed credit, and ultimately, save hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars every month!

• Boost your credit scores and overall rating
• Work with collection agencies, creditors, and lenders to pay off debts and overcome past mistakes
• Get the best rates on credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages and start saving
• Avoid the most common financial and credit-related mistakes made by millions
• Learn how to identify and avoid “credit repair” and “credit score boosting” scams
• And more

Includes worksheets, exclusive interviews with credit experts and supplemental resources!

Find out more about this book at Amazon.com.

Popularity: 20% [?]