Take Your Financial Wellbeing Seriously

So many people have financially trapped themselves and feel they are in their trap forever. By taking the time and reconcile your bank statements making sure all the information on those statements is correct. Computers make errors and if the bank you are dealing with makes an error in your favor you can be rest assured they are going to come back to you to resolve the error. Well, you are entitled to do the same. With your statement as the evidence right in your hand approach a bank official with it and have them correct the mistake immediately. If you get a fee call a bank official and try to get the fee removed. Question why you got the fee, especially if you do not regularly have overdraft or similar activities occurring in your account or accounts. Make them investigate and be firm but not belligerent. Sometimes it is how the bank processes your account to their advantage adding excess fees. If the processing was to their advantage and you have a good account record ask for your money back. If they refuse tell them you will never refer their bank to anyone and say to them you considering doing your banking else ware. Follow though if they are still uncooperative on one or more occasions. By finding a new institution to work with you protecting yourself from and your account from becoming targeted by the bank for future excess fees. Be ever aware of these tips because they only the tip of the iceberg of how banks are getting over on you the consumer. By not keeping accurate records you could be wasting valuable money in which you could save and pay off debt instead of going further into debt. You can actually start saving money toward a positive cash flow along with so much more working for you toward the positive.

 

You as a consumer have to fight back. The banking industry has changed by leaps and bounds in the last ten to fifteen years. So many laws have been past in favor of the banking industry it has become profitable for these large commercial banks to crush the smaller banks and the lower income consumer. With all the high fees and unruly tactics banks’ profits go into the billions every year and no one can do anything about it except be diligent and take action to protect yourself. Again I am just tipping the Iceberg and if you working hard and not getting ahead you are falling victim to these legal crimes against the consumer.

 

If you deal in cash get receipts or better yet get a prepaid bankcard where you can start getting statements and tracking your money. Keep an accurate record of where all your money is going giving you a better chance of improving your financial position and decisions. By researching and getting the right Prepaid Bankcard you will actually be saving money by not paying check cashing fees again at a competing bank or a check cashing agency along with your travel expenses to go to those institutions. You will be saving precious time because many of those bills you traveled around to pay in the past you now can safely pay online by going website site to website of the vendor or the utility instead of door to door with cash. The top advantage is if it is available to you, you can have your paycheck deposited right into your prepaid account again saving you time and money. Take your time and match the prepaid bankcard to your personal financial plan. Some banks offer great prepaid packages where others are fee happy. It pays in dividends to find the right prepaid card so do your research and do not settle for the ad you had seen or the application that came in the mail.

Switching to a Credit Union over a bank for your needs maybe the best decision you ever make. My wife and I have and it has changed our lives for the better. As in our 2011 blog post, “Are You Working for Your Financial Institution or is Your Financial Institution Working for You?” we explain many advantages of Credit Unions over banking with commercial banks. Again with the convenience of direct deposit you can overcome many of the fees, the unjust treatment as well as constant disadvantages which comes with a institutions geared to it’s stock holders instead of it’s customers. Yes, the commercial banks have more convenient branches but that is all they have to offer besides fees after fees and loan denial after loan denial unless your credit score is excellent which most of us are fair to good. Find a Credit Union near you. Ask them about their membership policy you may be surprised how easy it is to join let alone deal with people with your interests in mind. Membership has its privileges.

Credit Cards have some good features and bad features. If you have a savings credit cards can help you keep your savings intact while you overcome a temporary financial problem. The best way if you can spread your unsecured debt over a few cards and pay with a payment plan you develop monthly. This plan should be goal based with a definite pay off date. Here is where we can go wrong with credit cards by not being frugal. If a card’s interest rate is real high, pay your debt off with that card as soon as possible. You are almost better off using your savings to pay the debt and rebuild your savings but this is a personal decision weighing your options. Make sure your unsecured debt or credit cards do not exceed your savings. The truth to be told is if your unsecured debt is more than your savings and assets you are not saving anymore you are just plain in debt.

Do not carry balances on high interest cards use them for emergencies only. High interest credit cards are still far better than taking Pay Day or Car Title Loans so use them cautiously. Find a credit card with a lower interest if you can and cancel the high interest card if you can and be very diligent about the balances on your new card leaving you plenty of room for emergencies. If you are stuck with a high interest card and it is maxed out call the credit card company and get fixed payment terms with a lower interest rate by canceling the card and pay monthly until you can get a lower interest loan to pay it off. And lastly if you are maxed out on all your unsecured debt find another source and pay off your credit cards then cancel and destroy them. They are no good to you until you lower all your unsecured debt.. If you cannot find a loan through other sources try a credit union. It costs nothing to ask. As one of your last resorts, look into go to a credit counseling agency. You can learn more by going to our 2011 blog post "The First Step to Financial Freedom is the Hardest".

By not caring about your finances affects every aspect of your life believe it or not. Setting up a comprehensive banking plan with a budget is easy to research and do yourself. Dealing with the right institutions for your finances will help you feel better about yourself and everything you do. Take the time to end the hopelessness of poor record keeping and take the time to make sure the institutions you deal with have you the customer in mind. Keep in mind commercial banks serve themselves and not the customer however, some smaller banks can be better and more customer friendly than the larger banks. Take the idea that you are fighting those in control you and your money because they are controlling you and your money believe it or not. Always keep in you mind the commercial financial world are groups of faceless corporations with their rich executives getting bonuses by tacking fee after fee on you the consumer, and their stockholders getting their dip into the profit pot, are always looking after their interests maybe it is time you did to.

These are your rights as a consumer. Take the time to learn more of how the financial industry works. Do not let them take your money by doing your research. With this blog post we are telling you to look for the good guys and get rid of the bad guys. Send them the message wire are not going to take it anymore. By being educated and professional about all you financial needs you can turn any bad financial situation into a good one and you do not have to go bankrupt to do it.

 Go to "Are You Working for Your Financial Institution or is Your Financial Institution Working for You?" by Clicking Here!
 

Go to "The First Step to Financial Freedom is the Hardest" by Clicking Here!

Look Into the Netspend Prepaid Bankcard if you choose to join Netpend will give you $20.00 for joining. Then start refering friends and get $20.00 for each referal deposited to your Netspend account!!!

 

Open Netspend in a new window by Clicking Here!

Get Your Copy of Money Saving Emergencies by Dave Ramson

Thinking and living Financial Freedom

 

 



Do you want me to let you in on a secret?

By following us in this blog your life very well could possibly change for the better during this coming year.

Then you say, “If it is written in this blog for everyone to see how it could be a secret?”

The secret will remain amongst the followers of this blog but if it works for you, you can tell someone the secret. How does that sound?

As we had said in our New Year’s blog post we were reorganizing with new ideas with a new company called A Better Life Enterprises L.L.C. or as we are going to call it ABLE L.L.C. for short. When my wife and I were thinking and planning the name for our company my wife came up with For A Better Life Enterprises. I sat on the name and abbreviated it and I was not in love with FABLE L.L.C. as you may be able to understand. I really did not want to run a business that was a fairy tale waiting to happen. The F was dropped making FABLE, ABLE a business and not just a story which seems to be what you get from many people today who work, coach and sell online.

During the next year as ABLE L.L.C. we are going to put together some terrific ideas to solve some financial woes as well as send you to research some sound ideas that will have you going from maintaining you current standard in living to succeeding in what you would like to achieve in life. Unlike our old format in Finding Financial Freedom where we gave you some good ideas which were given to help you fight back from the repression of being in debt. Now we are going to point back to those ideas and help you gain ground and succeed by directing you to where you can seek the knowledge to succeed and not just maintain a lifestyle good or bad.

 

To accelerate aid to many looking for solutions to everyday problems we going to add direct links to help you find government agencies and actual good financial resources and businesses to help you find the aid you need faster. And, with the sources we give you options so you can choose the proper direction you would like to go. The best part of all this is many of these services will be free unless you choose the pay for option. We will also discuss some of the issues and challenges so you can understand them and why you feel the way you do about finances and the institutions that handle your finances.

We realize these actions your are going to take in your life are not going to overnight success stories like most people tell you it can. Besides, it has never worked for me in that way and we are not here, saying it again, going to tell you Fairy Tales. It takes time to change habits and ways of thinking. It takes other sources like video, articles, books, and yes, success coaches like Tony Robins. We will talk about the difference between Life Coaches like Tony Robins, the other MLM and Network Marketing Success Coaches as well as the difference between being a successful online marketer or a sales person just spinning their wheels in life and online. We will also be working with successful online marketers who actually give free seminars to teach you how to work with them and what they have to offer you in your own business. Best of all you never have to leave home to attend these home business outlooks. We will actually give you rebroadcasts links so you can listen in if you cannot attend at the time of the event. We like to start by peaking your interests and showing you a video about the difference between being the average Joe or Josephine and being successful and a leader in anything you do.

 

It is only fair to say that their are many ways to make money on and off line. We also intend to give you ideas for services  you can offer people offline as well as finding and selling treasures to stuff on e-Bay as well as online classifieds. These will be along with tales of what my wife Pam and I have done to help keep the cash flow positive along with other great tips we have heard from other people who we know.

 

So lets get ready to PROSPER!!!

 

With this video we would like to get you to start thinking in a different direction even if it is just by changing some ways of thinking here and there by giving you some influence that will get you from just maintaining your life and finances to having success in your life with a bright financial future.

 

Grab this great read that will help you understand where many of us go wrong in our approach to our finances. Read this book and ask yourself the question are you a PAW or a UAW?

 

 

Please come back an visit by saving us as FindingFinancialFreedomBlog.com

or sign up for one of our follower options on the sidebar.

With this New Year Comes Great News to Our Readers

With this New Year comes great news to our readers. Some may think we have put our blogs under new management which is far from the truth.

During the last three months we have been doing a lot of research to provide a more interesting and informative blog while we work with shorter posts with great referrals to great resources and products to make your life easier and better.

Finally my wife Pam and I have joined as partner to join our blogs and other resources as well as Ideas together under the name of A Better Life Enterprises LLC or ABLE LLC to add more professionalism and service to all we provide. We will soon provide more information about us in an About Us page coming soon.

 

Just a Tip to Help You Excel in Your Financial New Year!

You yourself can effectively clean up your credit report through some of today’s credit report or identity protection services. By doing this you can raise your credit score dramatically helping you or your family considerably. For those of you who want outside help and are meeting your financial responsibilities monthly and want errors taken of your credit report here is a listing service  for credit repair companies as your guideline for quality services.

 

To Go To Best Credit Repair Companies Click Here!

 

Learn More About Credit Reporting and Correct Errors Yourself

Have a Happy New Year in Health with Prosperous Financial Growth!!!

 

 

Thinking of a Car Title Loan? Think Again!

 

 

Once again I have a cause to start writing Blog posts for Finding Financial Freedom. Once again I see atrocities happing to the middle class and mainly the blue collar worker. Years ago it was easy to say blue collar as the blue collar is the workforce and the backbone of our country. Years ago President Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves but sometimes I wonder. The reality is that we the middle class are enslaving ourselves every day and we are not aware of what we are doing to ourselves. Between the Large Corporations, Financial Institutions, and Marketing Today the Middle Class has less disposable income than ever before. If you wonder why ask those who you elect into office. However instead of complaining about it because it is going to take years to make a change, we at Finding Financial Freedom would like to add solutions to a dedicated group of readers.

You say why only a dedicated group of readers?

Because when the dedicated groups of readers have success with knowledge others will learn and follow. We can’t save everyone but we can save those who want to learn to become debt free and successful financially and within themselves.

So Let’s Get Started

 

A member or our family sought and received a title loan. This person has struggled for years and came into a sum of money from an estate which our family member had used to buy a family car. To compound the problem he is going through a separation and other compounding problems along with financial problems. Many of us fall into this category and are no stranger to the complications of a failing relationship. The threat from constant financial struggling is enough of a strain on today’s relationships whether the couples are married or not. By taking the time to understand and challenging the problems of today’s economy is essential to happiness and long lasting relationships.  We at Finding Financial Freedom understand what others are going through and we are here to help you.

Back to the topic

Anyway this family member got this title loan and put up the family car for a one thousand dollar loan. His family car was worth considerably more than the one thousand dollars and the three hundred percent interest our family member needed to pay on the note which was four thousand dollars total to solve the  note unconditionally. It is also important to know there is not a prepaid in full discount or prepayment break on the interest. Once you sign the note you pay in full to solve the note. Finally in most cases a bankruptcy exemption is written into the note and the laws most other financial intuitions must follow car title loan companies and payday loan companies are exempt from because of this exemption.  

The terms of the note our family member had was ten monthly payments of four hundred dollars to solve the note. Needless to say our family member did not make it two months and he defaulted on the note. So the title loan company came and repossessed the family car. Now for our family member to get his car back our family member now owes the car title company four thousand one hundred dollars or the car goes to auction or for sale. This is because the car title company charged our family member’s account five hundred dollars for the reposition. The car my family member owned worth four times as much as the loan with interest is now up for auction or sale. This means for the miniscule one thousand dollars my family member borrowed these predatory lenders will make a sixteen hundred percent profit on his family car. It is not only the greed that is the atrocity, my family member now does not have a car for the family and our family member is now out of work without the car. This is a tough position for the bread winning member of the family to be in.

Are you appalled?

Notice I said predatory lender. Just because this type of lending is legal in most cases, does not mean they are not predatory lenders. To most of us this is more an ethical or moral issue than a legal issue. Predatory Lending is simply is taking advantage of those who are at a disadvantage. Also with predatory lending there is no credit check or income verification which means in most cases the person who took the loan will default leaving them at the disadvantage. And again yes, this form of lending is legal.

 

 

Final Words

It is going to take years to change legislation in Washington to help individuals or consumers who fall into the predatory lending trap. As citizens and consumers we have the right to demand changes in legislation to protect us the consumer from predatory lending. The best way to stop this and other predatory lending practices is to work with our readers to educate them, to get them to register and vote, and take interest in the rights ourselves as consumers and citizens of the United States. This is doable and all hope is not lost it will take many of us to make a change and the change starts here. These lenders have lobbyist on their side. We can be advocates for our side. Please join Finding Financial Freedom so we can help those who need help.

Us the hard working Blue Collar Working Class and Middle class.

Please sign up for our e-mailing list so we can keep you updated with hints as well downloaded forms you can send to your senators and congressman when they become available to us on a specific subject concerning our financial well being.

We can make the change and stop the greed and atrocity in its tracks by making personal financial changes and causing real change! 

 

 

 

Knowledge is wealth! Do you want more information on Title and Payday Loan or know someone in need? This is an excellent resource for guidance and help!

Amazon

 

 

More Information on Payday and Title Loans

 



This is from the September 15, 2011 post when I went on my last rant after researching Payday Loans. I moved it here because it mixed better with Car Title Loans than with fining the right financial institutions.

 

This Week’s Rant

I cannot hold off on this one. Title and Payday loans if you are involved in them as soon as you can get out of them. Credit Cards or anything that is thirty percent interest or more try to find a way out. Just figure, you have a loan for one thousand dollars @thirty percent interest you are paying three hundred dollars interest on that principal if you do not pay that money back in that year. Even the institution seems to be an up and up financial institution morally and ethically any more than twenty five percent interest to me is predatory lending. The only thing worse than predatory lending is loansharking. If you have some collateral and a job you may be able to find someone you know to help you for fifteen percent or less annually depending if you know who investor is. Or, maybe someone you know knows someone that will invest in you. There are people out there that will help out hard working people like you and I am not talking about loansharking or pawning either. This process is called t is called taking back a Note or private lending. People who take back notes know how to draw up a legal binding contract on holding something of value as collateral. These people have money to lend because they are willing to take some risk to make a little more than what they would make if their money was only drawing interest in the bank. What you may give up as collateral a bank or financial institution may not have interest in holding as collateral but still has a real value that if it can be appraised and can be sold for recovery of funds in the result of your possible default for nonpayment. It can be of interest to someone willing to take back a note or give you a loan on that collateral. You have to remember financial intuitions are not in the business of retailing they are in the money lending business, so some things of value on the market are of no interest to financial intuitions but may be of value to other investors. You can look through the phone book but these investors are usually private individuals and are usually found by the reference of other people.

One thing you have to consider with these loans you is you will only get fifty to seventy five percent of the value of your collateral even if it is something that will gain value as time goes on. Collateral as your guarantee to pay and if you do not pay the lender and default the holder has the right to sell the collateral and be compensated for his or her efforts in trying to help you. One last thing while most investors are legitimate in their dealings consult a legal expert before getting into any contract. Read to or have someone read the contract who knows contracts. They will make you aware of any concerns you may have to question before proceeding. We do offer Just Ask on the sidebar who may be able to help you.

 Contact me with any questions @ blaine@findingfinacialfreedomblog.com or by phone @ (484) 868-2588.

You can also come back to us by remembering www.FindingFinancialFreedomBlog.com!

The First Step to Financial Freedom is the Hardest

I always say falling into debt is not always your fault. Sure some of make mistakes in managing our finances and we are all not financial experts, bankers, or accountants. Things happen in our lives that can be unexpected but what is expected is your financial obligation once you take one or them on is resolved in one way or another you are responsible for them. With computers and modern tracking techniques you may not always pay them but they will be tracking your every move until the debt is resolved. There is no getting around it.

You will see me repost something at least quarterly about Credit Counseling. I think it is important before you spend any money to contact a reputable credit counseling agency. Yes we have other ways of solving debt on the sidebar but what you need to know you cannot solve your debt problems blindly. By consulting an expert you are educating yourself on the other options out there. If your mind is made up go with one of those products but what I am saying is first contact a Credit Counseling Agency before making the big decision. Credit Counseling will help you set up a budget, advise you on where to go to get help If you need it bankruptcy not likely but maybe debt settlement, or get you into a credit counseling program where you can save up to fifty percent on your unsecured debt and credit card interest charges with a small monthly fee for processing. This is usually a large one lump monthly payment. The best part is the counseling is for free. Free Financial advice it’s free. I can’t say anything else but to stop the nagging debt problem or to tell you where you can go for help and it’s free. It does not get any better than free. Keep on having your creditors sucking your money and your life having your life sucked out of you or getting help that is free. I knew my choice thirteen years ago and it was free then and the counseling end of the service is still free. No gimmicks no nothing, Free!

After your counseling as a consumer you can use any products and services you want. This is your right as a consumer. And there are other quality services out there we are going to suggest from time to time, but it’s refreshing to know there is help out there when you are strapped and need it. So here are the two services I recommend and they are both well accredited credit counseling services you can start with over the phone or online. The one I joined is Consumer Credit Counseling. There is a national website and then for those of you who live in central to South New Jersey, Northern Delaware, and Southeastern Pennsylvania there is the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Delaware Valley, the service I joined thirteen years ago. And there is another service called Credit Guard Services of America. I have reviewed their website after reading about them in a national magazine. So when you get done laughing I found this article in the Women’s World October 10, 2011 Issue, one of my wife’s favorite magazines.  I will give you the Web-addresses to CCCS of Delaware Valley as well as the national site for Consumer Credit Counseling. And, finally I will give you the web address to Credit Guard Credit Counseling, So don’t put up with the agony of debt any longer because credit counseling is the best place to start, hands down!

Working Toward a Simpler Blog

As we said with the last post we are working to a simpler blog format. This transformation is going to take a little time to move certain formats that make blog posts to long are going to be moved to permanent pages for reference for our readers. These pages will constantly evolve like good blogs and websites do. This will make for a more interesting easier to write and read blog without a lot of duplicate information week after week. So to all our regular readers we will be getting back into routine soon.

The new page that has been added this post or entry is Building an Internet Presence.  Blogging is one of the quickest ways to get on the internet and build your own presence. This is why we started with blogging as our first page. For those of you that would like to get started with your part-time home business or resurrect an old one can get started with these methods. Again these methods take time to work for you but this is good targeted marketing to help you get leads at little or no cost to you. Remember when these processes start working for you they will deliver steady results as with your constant effort in advertising.

 Learn More About Building an Internet Presence by Clicking Here!

Go To Consumer Credit Counseling of Delaware Valley by Clicking Here!

Go to Consumer Credit Counseling National Website by Clicking Here!

Go to Credit Guard Services of America by Clicking Here!

Introducing You to Some New Ideas for an Easier to Understand Blog

This week we are going to divert from our normal format to introduce you to the stand alone pages in this blog. The standalone pages we will be introducing you to over the next two months or so are going to be reference points you can return to.  These pages will help you financially as well as helping you with productivity in your life and with any route you want to take in your career or self-employment.

In reading these pages please remember that these are suggestions. We here at Finding Financial Freedom are here to refer you to the best services out there we can associate ourselves with. Any opportunities are here for you to research and we will help you, coach you in any way we can but as for specific financial advice if you need it, please refer to some of the services we refer you to or find professional services through other resources you find on your own.  This is your Financial Recovery and Wellbeing Toolbox so please take advantage of it, In our June 12, 2011 blog post Getting Set with a Budget we give you some of our suggestions to professional help some come for free though Consumer Credit it Counseling with more services on the sidebar we became associated with since the June 21, 2011.

In the opportunity pages (coming in the near future) we will list all the opportunities we have had you preview to date as well as tell you where you can go for free to low cost training to get your businesses up and running. We also added two Opportunities that have excellent training on the side bar that you can start today and make money quickly if you just follow the instructions. Again, at no cost to you to start your business or part-time job. As far as the of startup businesses that we exposed you to in the past, most of them are no cost to low cost startups to help you learn and get Direct and Affiliate marketing skills without worrying about the high startup costs that scare most people away from learning how to market. We will be offering low cost and free ways for you to train as you start your marketing business or part-time job which are also opportunities for you to make money just by referring the training that is working for you to your team members and others.

Marketing is the way of the future in this new turn around and troubled economy. The families and individuals that will do the best financially in the future will operate a small business of some sort or another even if they work their business part-time. Remember unless you are a seasoned marketer; Don’t Give up Your Day Job!!! Even if you do not do marketing as your business you still have to market any venture you pursue so any marketing you learn through us will be beneficial to you. Stay secure but if you want to work part-time for extra income build a small business for yourself so you have something call your own, something to fall back on if you need to and where no one can fire you or lay you off.  Wal-Mart has enough Greeters, Stock People and Cashiers so leave that job for someone who needs a job to get back on their feet.  Who knows, you could be teaching them how to market on your team one day!

In getting started I believe we covered enough for now on e-mail marketing. Those entries will be compiled into a page for a one page reference in the future so you will not have to go back to all those blog posts to reference them.

What we will start you off on is building an online presence for free by understanding blogs and blogging. This way you can begin to impress the people on your e-mail list to date and let them know you are a serious marketer or business person with your own blog and online presence. Just relax, define your niche, have fun, be yourself, keep in mind blogging like anything else takes some to learn, put your best stuff out there and build your online presence by being a blogger starting today!

For Understanding this and Other Interactive Blogs go to the Pages Widget on the sidebar or ClickHere!

To go to the June 21, 2011 blog post getting Set with a Budget Click Here!

October 4, 2012 Update to this Blog Post

Since we posted this on October 2, 2011 we moved the Opportunity programs to Creative Marketing Helper. This is a way to simplify this blog and keep its dedication to help those in financial distress. Even in good times directing and helping people learn and practice good financial habits is imperative to the health and welfare of the individual as well as a strong family life while establishing personal respect.

We strongly encourage you as the Finding Financial Freedom Blog reader to look over Creative Marketing Helper. As the content grows in both blogs we hope you will grow along with us by becoming self-employed part time and find there is a more secure future in building a Home Based Business more so in these hard times.

To Go To Creative Marketing Helper Click Here!

  If you have any questions you can contact me  by e-mail @ blaine@findingfinancialfreedomblog.com or by phone @ (484) 868-2588.
You can also come back to us by remembering www.FindingFinancialFreedomBlog.com!

Are You Working for Your Financial Institution or is Your Financial Institution Working for You?

Why using credit unions is better than banks

Last fall I made change that I wish I had made years ago. Back in June I had started hinting to you as our readers about Credit Unions. Credit Unions are one of the most misunderstood financial institutions that have in recent years come out of secrecy. Everyone was under the belief that you had to be an employee of a large corporation, federal employees, a union member of a specific union, some other special interest group or fraternity. This is not true anymore. Some of today’s requirements are as easy as living in a county, community, being a member of a religious institution, or a community member of commerce to qualify you as a member of a credit union. When looking into credit unions they will tell you what you need to qualify as a member usually by calling them and asking or the requirements are listed on their website.

Making The Difference In Your Financial Interests

I really can put the blame the banking industry for a large portion of my financial struggles. I did not realize that banking could be done as it was in the past where the banks actually looked after the customer until I found out how Credit Unions were taking care of their customers. I am not going to name specific banks but since the banking crash a system dedicated and dominated by to the wealthy has gotten far tighter with credit qualifications and fees for general banking stifling any financial growth from the middle class. They must believe since they are not making interest dollars because of their own poor lending habits they can make it up in general banking fees and credit card interest and fees. I had credit cards with one institution that went from less than nineteen percent annually to twenty-six to twenty-nine percent annually and I while I was carrying a substantial amount of debt on those cards. Yes, it is me the good payer that should bear the brunt of their incompetent banking decisions. Somehow out of the blue I had to come up with another two hundred dollars a month to pay them. I did nothing to provoke it and I had at the time a mid-seven-hundreds credit score. This bank had the audacity to use our federal tax dollars to bail them out of their poor lending practices and wanted to make up for its profit losses on me and others like me.

For us the dwindling middle class it is time to say no to these Intuitions and the way they treat the people that have regular incomes. Actually I am not sure the large banks really want our business any way but as long as we let them get away with it they will. On the sidebar we offer lending solutions to people paying unfair rates on things from car loans to mortgages and help in solving other debt problems. I also do want all our readers to know we will never advertise Payday of Title Loans which in my opinion are predatory loans and offer no permanent solution to someone or a family struggling financially. Title Loans and Payday Loans are financial suicide to the financially strapped and venerable who use them and I promise sometime soon I will have a blog post berating and condemning such practices. These institutions could make me canonize commercial banking into Sainthood and you already know how I feel about some large commercial banks. Enough of that for now I feel a rant coming on!

Last fall I joined Trumark Federal Credit Union.  Since the time I have joined Trumark I have replaced most of my high interest debt with lower interest debt without the struggle or the hard Inquiries to my credit report. Hard Inquires go on your credit report and can lower your credit score which as a regular practice by large banks especially in the last three years. Other financial institutions do not always use hard inquiries if you have a good credit score. You will understand more about hard inquiries if you have credit monitoring because when there is a hard inquiry your credit monitoring service will send you notice. Anyway, because of my financial reorganization that Trumark FCU helped me with now every time I make a payment, my payments are now making true headway toward the principal (the money owed) instead of making faceless heartless institutions and their stockholders wealthier. This can be the most important article or post you will read this year. This is really worth doing the research on and making the move to a better financial future.  Even if your credit is not good enough at this point to get a loan the way a credit union treats you with personal service and low banking fees with fairer banking practices can start making the difference for you immediately. A Credit Union will help you in your effort to financial recovery easier and when one day you start qualifying for loan or better rates again. Just remember you will be already established with a Credit Union who is willing to help you with advice and education. The best part is, I like working with people with warm blood running through their veins instead or finding some angle to profit from you. You can start with a credit union with a small minimum deposit into a general share fund which is like a personal savings account. This is a small fee of around five dollars usually onetime fee held in escrow in your General Share account. A small price to pay for a big change in your financial well-being.

To find a credit union in your area where you will find institutions and requirements to join Click Here!

Job Seekers Check Out This Website

While I was going through the Statistics for this blog I noticed that some individuals have clicked on Finding Financial Freedom. I appreciate that a job seekers website would advertise this blog so I want to reciprocate by helping our readers with the Jobs for Smart People website. In investigating this website there are several other websites for job seekers within this website and there are some skilled labor jobs within those websites.

Go To Jobs For Smart People by Clicking Here!

 

Important: Read this Artical on Social Security posted on Yahoo Finacne!

Here is information that everyone should know about the current statues of Social security. Get Information on what you should know about the retirement age with information of special interest for those who are waiting for or have applied for disability benefits.

Read More by Clicking Here!

 

Contact me with any questions @ blaine@findingfinacialfreedomblog.com or by phone @ (484) 868-2588.
You can also come back to us by remembering www.FindingFinancialFreedomBlog.com!

Know Your Financial Standing

If you do not know your financial standing you are living in the dark. One of the first things on your mind should be knowing what your credit rating is and how you can improve it or protect it. This all starts with credit monitoring. How can you miss all the commercials on television about credit reporting and how you can get a free credit report? I know what most people say, yes you get a free credit report then you have to pay a charge every month for credit monitoring. Credit monitoring is around fifteen dollars a month and it is a small price to pay to detect any problems or potential problems with you credit rating. Over the past seven years I do not only have one, I have two credit monitoring programs going and I have avoided on several occasions potential harm to my credit report by inaccurate entries or mistakes to my credit report. Computers and individuals make mistakes and it is your job to protect yourself. No one will automatically do it for you.

My wife shares her name with many other Scott's. If you have a common name like Lisa Brown or William Jones you have a real good chance you may have cross entries on your credit report caused by human error. And, sometimes these are not easy to get one of these disputes to get off your credit report if you do not respond swiftly. I have even heard a case where a parent’s teenage daughter rented a movie from Block Buster on the parent’s membership card and did not return the movie and a year or so later the parent went to apply for a loan, and was turned down for the loan because that movie was neither returned nor paid for. I am sure there are more horror storied like this one out there. The longer little stupid errors like these stay on your credit report the harder they are to get off so address them quickly.

Good credit monitoring services help you understand your credit and what to do if there is a problem with your credit report. Also if you have been under financial duress you are a potential candidate for many mistakes that can affect your financial recovery. While you are in your recovery period you want to make sure constantly, there are no mistakes being made through collection agencies and unsettled claims about you and your accounts. With credit monitoring anything in the future that is derogatory against your credit report will be either mailed or e-mailed to you to give you a chance to respond as swiftly as you feel you need to.

I want to remind everyone we do have video on collection agencies below the blog posts in the Video Section that you may want to pay special attention too.

What You Need To Do If You Discover Problems

There are two ways you can go when fixing problems with your credit report. You can do it yourself or you can go with an Agency that will advise you of potential problems and then help you fix them. Many people once you understand credit reporting and how to recognize problems can go about the task yourself. This can be time consuming but can be rewarding when you get everything in line as it should be. If you have many potential problems you may want to hire a service or an agency. All the services I recommend are on the side bar. If you want to do more research My Shopping Genie I highly suggest to help organize and speed up your searches remember the download is free. This is a personal decision I know the Attorney from Find Law said you can do this yourself. However instead of taking days away from work it may pay to look into these services. One of these services could at least tell you where you need to start or handle potential problems for you.

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Some of you that have a good credit history and may want to protect it in a different way. Fraud detection companies, services or websites may make you feel a little more comfortable. If you make many online transactions you may want to go in this direction. But, by monitoring your credit card statements or any statements you can monitor yourself online with regular credit monitoring you should be able to detect and stop any threats quickly. Your financial well being takes constant monitoring from you it is up to you and only you can protect yourself. You have to plan some time each week for strategy and defense. It can be a real battle ground out there and we have the tools to help you do battle when a problem comes up.

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If you decide to fix these problems yourself we also have some other ways we can help. On the sidebar there is Just Ask. If you want a second opinion on anything or you just need to know something Just Ask has professionals in medical care, law, and technical help. We also have sources where you can find a lawyer or get any legal documents you may need saving you the expense of hiring a lawyer or the original consultation fees. Where all the other financial experts give you direction, we give you resources to stay on course to financial freedom.

Here is more information from Forbes Magazine on how your Credit Rating effects you.

The New Credit Score Rules

 by Justine Rivero

Monday, August 29, 2011

The average credit score nationwide is 666, according to CreditKarma.com. That's not only an ominous number, but can be a costly one.

 Based on CreditKarma.com's data, the trend amongst lenders shows that a 660 credit score is the threshold to be approved for a mortgage, auto loan and unsecured credit card. Digging deeper into consumers' credit health, nearly 40% of consumers have a credit score below 660. That means 4 out of 10 Americans would likely be denied for a mortgage and auto loan, charged sky-high interest rates, and only qualify for a secured credit card.

With credit scores controlling consumers' access to credit and the prices they pay for lending products, Americans must take control of their credit health.

 In the fine line between approval and denial in lending, consumers deserve to know more so they can do more about their credit health. While recent federal regulations have nudged open the door on consumers' access to credit, it's not enough. Consumers must be empowered to actively manage their credit, not just when they are transacting but also in their daily financial life.

As legislation and economic changes evolve the credit industry, consumers' access to credit scores must be broadened. Here's what you need to know about credit now.

 1. It's your consumer right to get a free credit score! Thanks to a recent federal regulation, consumers who are denied on a credit application or receive higher interests due to their credit profile are entitled to see their credit score for free. This only applies to declined consumers, so it begs the question: why aren't all consumers getting their credit score for free? With such significant impact on accessing and pricing of financial products, free credit score access should be a right of all consumers. We may see government efforts to provide free credit score access on the horizon. Once a mysterious and proprietary secret of the credit industry, credit scores are becoming a powerful tool in the hands of consumers.

2. Standards for accessing credit are always in motion. Once upon a time, the general "good" credit score standard was 660. During the recession's credit crunch, the standard jumped to 720. It appears some credit card issuers are again expanding their credit standards and approving lower credit tiers. Some mortgage lenders say a 720 credit score is needed to get the best mortgage rate, while others say 750 is the new standard. Additionally, lenders are increasingly focusing on other credit details aside from your three digit score. For example, a consumer can have a 780 credit score, considered in the excellent range, and be denied on a credit card application because their credit history is simply not long enough. It'll take time and economic stability till lenders comfortably agree on credit score standards; hopefully that keeps you on your toes and improving credit health everyday.

 3. It's not enough to check your credit score. One drawback of the federal regulation is its limitations. Giving consumers access to their credit after being denied is too little, too late. Credit scores can fluctuate suddenly, so a single snapshot isn't enough. What's necessary is for consumers to monitor their credit. Whether you have a 550 or an 800, tracking trends in your credit use and credit score helps identify areas to improve, habits to avoid, and most importantly, makes you conscious of how day-to-day financial decisions impacts your credit health. You might need several months' cushion to polish up your score, so begin monitoring your credit as soon as you plan to buy a home or car, or apply for a loan or credit card. If you aren't applying for credit but currently have a credit card, it's still imperative to stay on top of your credit health. Issuers periodically do an account review, and if any new credit blemishes appear, it could affect your card terms. Proactively use credit score monitoring services so you, and not lenders, are the first to know about recent changes on your credit.

4. Expect credit score differences. The federal regulation also shined light on the fact that there are dozens of credit score models in use. While many consumers consider FICO to be the "real" score and everything else to be a "FAKO", the truth is that every lender chooses differently: there are the credit bureau-specific models, the VantageScore, the FICO score, scores specific to lender type like mortgage, auto and credit card issuers, and even models particular to certain banks. If your TransUnion score and VantageScore have a 40 point difference, there isn't a "more accurate" score. It's similar to weighing yourself at home versus the gym or the doctor's office; the scales show different numbers because they're calibrated differently, but ultimately, they all measure your weight. Rather than obsessing over the three-digit score, focus on the risk factors involved such as your debt, number of accounts, and credit use. Just like diet and exercise will reflect in your weight across all scales, taking action to holistically improve your credit health will reflect across the broad spectrum of credit score models.

 While the recent federal regulation is a positive move for consumers, lenders have already found loopholes, reports SmartMoney. For example, if the lender uses its own scoring model, they aren't required to disclose that credit score to consumers. Also, insurance companies, which also use a credit score model to evaluate customers and price premiums, are excluded from this regulation and aren't required to disclose credit scores to consumers who are charged a higher premium.

As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau stretches its reach and more financial reform finds its legs, consumers must keep challenging Uncle Sam to keep the heat on the financial industry when it comes to credit score access. Consumers must also keep putting in the legwork to build healthy credit and keep an eye on their credit score.

 We're headed in the right direction when it comes to consumers' access to their credit score. But don't walk away from this topic just yet; we barely have our foot in the door.

 Justine Rivero is the Credit Advisor for CreditKarma.com.

 Copyrighted, Forbes.com. All rights reserved.f you only read one article about credit scores this year, read this one.

To See the original article on Yahoo Click Here!

This Weeks Rant

My intent with any entry in this blog is help you start your research the rest is up to you. I could have given up many times myself but thanks to the knowledge and support of others I am accomplishing my goals in becoming financially free. This can be an angering, frustrating, or frightening process that can make you feel hopeless at times but, I want you to find some comfort here and get yourself on the right path to happiness and financial freedom.

 

Contact me with any questions @ blaine@findingfinacialfreedomblog.com or by phone @ (484) 868-2588.

You can also come back to us by remembering www.FindingFinancialFreedomBlog.com!