Escape the Credit Trap

Many people fall into the trap every day. They start to use their credit cards more and more, just a little bit at a time. One day they wake up deep in debt. The average American consumer has 9 credit cards and 52% of Americans owe over $5,000 on credit cards and/or installment financing plans. About 15% of creditors have their credit cards at over 80% of their credit limits. That can spell big trouble. If you are one of those who are maxed out on your credit cards or rapidly approaching it, you've got to do something about it, and soon.

The problem is many folks depend upon their credit cards and revolving charge accounts. They are using them for the convenience and, in many cases, to maintain a lifestyle they can ill afford to keep. If you are a convenience credit user who pays all, or most of their outstanding balance every month, you will have few problems. If, however, you find yourself getting deeper and deeper in debt every month, you must take action now. Failure to do so may mire you deep in a credit hole you may not be able to escape.

You have several options to help your credit picture, but the one thing you must do in order for any of them to work is control your spending. There will always be life's emergencies such as a big medical bill or unexpected car repair. These are mostly unavoidable. If, however, you have a pattern of spending up your credit balances every month just to maintain a lifestyle, you've got to stop now. Once you have your spending under control, you can examine your options.

One option is to get another job or source of income. You can work evenings or weekends. If you have special expertise in a certain area, you may be able to become a part time consultant. Some consulting work is very lucrative. You can also start a part time business, but in most cases this will take a bit of capital to get going. There are, however, many business that you can begin for just a little money, but these will still take time and effort if you are to be successful. You want to be careful that you don't begin a business with no plan and then find yourself even deeper in debt with very little additional income to show for it. If you do plan on starting a business to earn some additional income, do yourself a big favor. Do plenty of research to find the proper business and then do a good business plan. Revise the plan as necessary, but do your best to stick to it. Taking these steps will really help ensure your success.

For many people, who are just a little bit upside down in their cash flow every month, a great option can be a debt consolidation loan. If you own your home or other substantial real estate to use as collateral, there are many lenders who will give you a low interest loan to pay off your many different, high interest loans. This is beneficial in a few ways. The primary benefit is that you can substantially lower your total monthly payment by using a consolidation loan instead of having multiple credit cards.

In addition, it is much more convenient to replace many loans with one. It will involve much less time and paperwork to pay your bills every month. You will also be less likely to forget to pay one of your credit card bills. Missing, or being late on, a payment can begin what is known as the "credit card death spiral". Most creditors will raise your interest rate, charge a late fee, or both. In most cases, they will most likely hit you with both options. The interest rate will raise your minimum monthly payment. If you were right on the edge of being able to afford the minimum monthly payment, the increase can send you over that edge.

A consolidation loan can really help with your monthly finances. However, such a loan can also have a dark side. Because your home is usually the collateral that secures the loan, you can lose your home if you default. This is the reason it is vital to curb your excess spending. You must be able to consistently make the monthly payment on the consolidation loan.

Credit can be a great thing. It lets you buy a home, run a successful business, drive a nice car and have access to extra cash in emergencies. It can also suck you in and create a dependency. You can, like many Americans, become addicted to the added spending power it allows. If you are not careful, you can find out it was all an illusion, and you are now in trouble. Take control of your credit while you can. Before it's too late.
By Steve Faber

Steve writes about a multitude of business and finance topics. He has been a principal in several businesses both online and bricks n' mortar, including one that grossed over $1.5 million a year. See The Debt and Loan Consolidation Guide for more information about getting out of debt and staying that way.


Find out how you can own your own home, even if you have poor or no credit. Go to http://I-can-buy.com now to see our FREE ebook, "Buying a Home When You Have Bad Credit." Read more on this article...

Why Own a Home Instead of Rent?

There are times when it is better for a person to rent, but most often home ownership has many more benefits and advantages.

About 10 year ago a had a retired aunt and uncle who rented a condo in Las Vegas. Uncle Jim (not his real name, but that's what I'll call him) was a retired minister. Throughout his career he and his wife lived in parsonages, which are homes furnished by the congregation while they ministered there.

He and his wife told me that the biggest mistake they ever made was not to invest in buying a home. In their retirement years, when their other retired friends were living in homes that were almost paid off and had appreciated greatly, Uncle Jim and his wife were using a huge portion of their limited retirment money to make expensive condo rent payments. They strongly cautioned me not to make the same mistake they had.


Recent studies are showing that there are many benefits for both the owners and the community for owning your own home, including increased education for children, lower teen-age pregnancy rate and a higher lifetime annual income for children. Besides these, listed below are some of the primary advantages for owning your own house.


More Stable Housing Costs
Rent payments can be unpredictable and typically rise each year, but most mortgage payments remain unchanged for the entire loan period. If the taxes go up, the increase is usually gradual. This stable housing cost especially important in times of inflation, when renters lose money and owners make money.

Tax Savings
Homeonwers can be eligible for signifigant tax savings because you can deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from your federal income tax, as well as many states' income taxes. This can be a considerable amount of money at first, because the first few years of mortgage payments is made up mostly of interest and taxes.

If you need to refinance to consolidate other debts (an opportunity you don't have if you are renting) the interest on this is also tax deductable.

Equity
Instead of payments disapearing into someone elses pocket, home owners are building equity in their own home. This is often one of a person's biggest investment assests. Each year that you own the home you pay more toward the principal, which is money you will get back when the home sells. It is like having a schelduled savings account that grows faster the longer you have it. If the property appreciates, and generally it does, it is like money in your pocket. And you are the one who gets to take advanatge of that, not the landlord. You can then use this equity to plan for future goals like your child's education or your retirement.

It is Yours!
When you own a home you are in control. You the freedom to decorate it and landscape it any way you wish. You can have a pet or two. No one can pop in and inspect your home and threaten to evict you.


Even young people, like college students out on their own, can often benefit from home ownership. It puts them ahead of other young people their age financially by helping with their credit and giving them what is often an excellent investment. Often a college student buying a home will rent the rooms out, and his or her roommates end up making the payments for the house. When the student is ready to move on, her or she can sell the home (hopefully making a profit) or keep it as an investment and continue to rent it.

Buying a home is an important decision. It is often the largest purchase a person makes in his or her life. Home ownership also comes with some increased responsibilities, and isn't for everyone. There are some disadvantages to homeownership that you should take into account.

Increased Expenses
Your monthly expenses may increase, depending on your situation. Even if the monthly payments are the same, home owners still have to pay property taxes, all the utilities, and all the maintenance and upkeep costs for the home. Often you need to supply appliances that were furnished with a rental.

Decreased Freedom of Mobility
Homeowners can't move as easily as a renter who just has to give notice to the landlord. Selling a house can be a complex and time consuming process.

Risk of Depreciation
In some areas with overinflated prices, there may be a risk that the house will depreciate instead of increase in value, if the prices go down. If you then sell the house, you may not get enough money from the home to pay back your mortgage, and you will still owe the mortgage company money.

Possibility of Foreclosure
If for some reason you are unable to make your payments, you risk having the lender forclose on your propety. This can result in the loss of your home, any equity you have earned, and the loss of your good credit rating.

When considering home ownership, you need to weight the advantages and disadvantages for yourself. If you are like most people, you will find that homeownership is worth the risks and disadvantages.



If you would like to own your own home but think you are unable to because of bad credit, go to http://I-can-buy.com now to find out how you can buy a house, even if your credit is poor or terrible. Read more on this article...

10 Ways to Buy a Home With Little or No Money Down

There are many ways to buy a home, even if you have little or no money to put down. Here are a few of the basics:

1. Sweat Equity

Sweat Equity is a way to get a home by trading work for equity in the house. This could be used for a down payment or for purchase later. This is a great technique if you are handy with tools, yard-work, and paint.

Look for fixer-uppers in neighborhoods you are interested in. Many times these homes will have a hard time selling and the owner is ready for just about any offer. You will find these houses ranging from just needing a little "cosmetic" work like landscaping or painting, to totally trashed out houses in need of some serious renovation. If you are into repairs, this is a great way to get a home for a good deal.

If you are not skilled at repairs and renovation, be careful about fixer-upper homes. They could end up costing you quite a large amount of money to pay others to fix.

I also recommend getting a home inspection so that you know what exactly you are in for before you begin.


2. Seller Carry-Back

Look for a home with an assumable loan. Instead of buying out the owner's equity, ask the seller to carry back a second mortgage for the rest of the money owed. If you can get the seller to carry all of the rest, you can get the home for no money down.


3. Offer an Object for the Down Payment

Offer something other than cash (land, a car, a boat, or valuable collectibles) to the seller instead of a cash down payment. This is why it is important to listen to sellers. Find out what they want and need. Maybe you have (or can get) just what they need. For instance maybe they wanted to use the down-payment to buy an RV and it turns out that you just happen to have one you don't need. Offer that vehicle as a down-payment, and it saves you from coming up with the cash.


4. Offer Services for the Down Payment

Offer your services or expertise to the seller in lieu of a down payment. Some examples include $10,000 worth of auto services if you're a mechanic, dental work if you're a dentist, desktop publishing services if you're a designer, artwork if you're an artist or legal work if you're an attorney.


5. Foreclosures

Look for foreclosure properties that require little or no down payment. Some lenders and government agencies will let you buy a foreclosure with no down payment if your credit is good and they're anxious to have the home occupied, or if you have skills (carpentry, landscaping or even painting) that you can use to increase the home's value. Distressed properties - assume with little or no down to save foreclosure.


6. VA or Other No Money Down Loans

Look for conventional loan programs such as VA or FHA that require little or nothing down. VA loans have helps countless veterans get into their homes. There are often programs available to first time buyers or people who are distressed (such as with Hurricane Katrina) that will help people get into a home with little money down. You usually will have to qualify for the loan with the bank, though.


7. Find an Investment Partner for Equity Sharing

Look for an investment partner who'll put up some or all of the cash in an equity-sharing partnership. You make the monthly payments and the two of you split the eventual resale profits.


8. Wrap-Around Financing

Wrap-around financing is where you assume a seller’s VA Loan by doing a new Contract for Deed. Since this contract is flexible and does not have to follow the old loan, you can ask the seller to carry not only the loan amount, but the rest of the purchase price of the house, letting you get in with little or no money down.


9. Rent-to-Own or Lease-Option

This is really is one of the best ways to get into a home of your own when you can't get a bank loan. Remember that you may still have to get a loan down the line. If you have a lease-option for 5 years, at the end of that time, you will need to purchase the house, so you can use the time to fix your credit, or use one of the other options that are discussed in our book to purchase the house at that time. You can always try to negotiate another 5-year lease-option if you need more time. (For more detailed infomation on lease-options, check out our free ebook, "Buying a Home When You Have Bad Credit" at http://I-can-buy.com.)


10. Government and Community Down-payment Programs

There are many community and non-profit organization programs out there to help people get into homes of their own. Many of these do no require any money down.

There are some organizations and programs that will pay for some or all of the down payment for you. Generally these are for lower to moderate-income individuals, but these days that includes a lot of people. You also usually have to be able to qualify for an FHA loan (which is somewhat easier than a conventional bank loan.) If you have been unable to get into a home because you don’t have enough money for a down payment, then maybe one of these programs will be for you.


Below is a list of organizations that have down payment assistant programs:

• AmeriDream Inc.
• National Home Foundation
• GiftAmerica Program (GAP)
• The Nehemiah Program
• New Song Down Payment Assistant Program
• Equity Grants
• Realty America
• Homes For All Program

Also check in your local area, because many communities have similar programs of their own.


This has been an excerpt of the FREE ebook by Alex Dey called "Buying a Home When You Have Bad Credit". Copyright © 2005-2006 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved.

Don't let bad credit stop you from buying a home. Check out the ebook at http://I-can-buy.com now to find out how!

This article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and this resource box accompanies the article, together with working hyperlinks. Read more on this article...

Goodby Mr. Greenspan. You will be missed!

And thanks for a job well done!

It is the end of an era. Alan Greenspan retired this week from his position for 18 years as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

According to Robert J. Samuelson of the Washington Post, some of Alan Greenspan's apparent accomplishments since he began the job in 1987 are:

"• The U.S. economy (gross domestic product) has expanded 72 percent, and its growth rate has outstripped that of virtually every other advanced country.

• The number of payroll jobs increased by 32.1 million (31 percent) from August 1987 (Greenspan’s first month) to December 2005.

• There have been only two brief recessions, those of 1990-91 and 2001, lasting a total of 16 months.

• Business productivity has risen about 50 percent since 1987.

• Interest rates dropped from 8.39 percent on 10-year Treasury bonds and 9.31 percent on 30-year mortgages (1987 averages) to 4.5 percent and 6.1 percent.

• The Dow Jones industrial average quadrupled from 2,680 on Greenspan’s first day (Aug. 11) to 10,900 (as of Monday)."

Of course there are other factors involved, but Greenspan certainly had his finger in the pie.


Alan Greenspan recently restated that he did not believe that the housing market is an overinflated bubble about to burst. In an article by Broderick Perkins in Realty Times, Greenspan was quoted as saying in a speech before the America's Community Bankers Annual Convention, "These concerns cannot be readily dismissed. Debt leverage of all types is often troublesome when one judges the stability of the economy. Should home prices fall, we would have reason to be concerned about mortgage debt; but measures of household financial stress do not, at least to date, appear overly worrisome."

Greenspan said 75 percent of all outstanding first mortgages were originated with a loan-to-value ratios of 80 percent or less and when all mortgages are considered the loan-to-value ratio is about 45 percent, giving the nation, as a whole, a 55 percent equity stake in residential real estate.

"It would take a large, and historically most unusual, fall in home prices to wipe out a significant part of home equity," he told conventioneers.


Goodby Mr. Greenspan. You will be missed! Good luck to Ben Bernanke, his successor. I hope you learned much from Alan.

If you would like to know how you can buy a house when your credit is too bad to get a conventional mortgage loan, check out our website at http://I-can-buy.com for FREE information. Read more on this article...