Saving Cash On A Regular Basis

February 13th, 2010

Over the past few years, I have been saving money each month, not for any particular reason like for example to buy a house, but just in case something big went wrong. They call self-insurance, where you are protecting yourself from some future potential hazard. In this article I write about the benefits of doing this and about my own personal experiences, i.e how hard or easy it has been saving in this way.

I am not involved within this “savings or investments industry” and am therefore not attempting to sell you anything via this article. I am merely relaying my own personal experiences etc. I am actually involved in various fields including offering stuttering therapy, selling upvc doors for a composite door company and regarding offering Mobile Phone Voucher Codes.

Maybe I am being paranoid but I always seemed to have far less money than what my friends had. Four years ago a group of us went to Spain for a two-week holiday. I will never forget the moment when one of my friends asked how much money each of us were taking on the holiday. We all answered one by one and to my horror not only did I have the least amount but I had around two hundred pounds less than the next lowest person. It was not because I was being tight, it was because I did not have anymore. It had actually been a real struggle to save up this much.

When I arrived back from this holiday I decided that I needed to change my attitude on financial matters. I read a few books and spoke to a number of people about the best way for me to move forward. I did not want to have to struggle next year if there is to be another holiday for example.

I believed the answer was to start saving an amount every month which would leave my account via direct debit. I was the type of person who would basically spend whatever I had or earned. If it was in the bank therefore I would spend it. It was to leave my account via direct debit I would have no way of course to spend it.

I set up one of these savings policies and started it a modest £30 a month. I am very pleased to say that it did not exactly have a major negative impact on my social life. The policy itself was in some way linked to the stock market and this itself was quite exciting, sad I know. After a year I received a statement through the post and I was quite happy to see that I was actually worth something for a change. I then decided to increase the amount that I was going to save to £50 a month.

I would strongly advise other people to commence saving on a regular basis as it has certainly given me a piece of mind.


How a Debt Reduction Program Can Work

February 13th, 2010

The importance of a personal debt reduction program comes from the assistance that is provided to the debtor in preventing bankruptcy that will drastically degrade his credit score.  The companies offering this kind of service may also provide credit counseling, which is vital if the consumer wants to avoid reverting back to the debt trap that he has fallen into.  This is understandable because the full settlement of the existing loan is not sufficient.  The consumer has to undergo basic changes in his habits that have led him to the present situation in the first place.  Essentially, the company that runs a debt reduction program will contact the creditor to discuss the possibility of obtaining a reduction in the outstanding loan balance, various fees, and interest charges.  This will make it easier for the consumer to pay off the debt and the creditor may agree to the reduction because he is aware that if the borrower files for bankruptcy, he stands to gain nothing.

First of all, the consumer has to prove that he is qualified for the debt reduction settlement program.  He must provide all of the necessary information to the consultants of the company to allow them to compute the total amount of loans and the practical monthly payment that can be offered.  If it is determined that the income is insufficient for the repayment of the total debt, filing for bankruptcy is often suggested.

If the consumer is qualified for a debt reduction program, he will be asked to pay a certain amount every month to the service provider and this will be accumulated until it is substantial enough to be attractive to creditors.  When this particular condition has been attained, the company will contact the creditors and make an offer for a lump sum payment and in return, the creditors will approve a decrease in the amount to be paid by as much as 60 percent.  The strategy is to offer a lump sum as settlement for the unpaid amount.  Every loan is settled in this manner until all of the debts with high interest rates have been paid off.  If a lump sum payment is not feasible, the company may negotiate for a payment plan that may last for three to four months.

Naturally, the debt reduction program company will require certain fees and the consumer must be alert for possible scams.  Some criminals may try to entice the consumer with a tempting offer but they may only be after the fees that they will collect.  And even if it is found that the provider is above board, it is still vital for the borrower to inquire about the various fees that will have to be paid.