Debt Consolidation Articles

The first time I ever applied for credit I was eighteen, just finishing my first year of college and trying to get a loan to pay my school bill. I planned on paying back the loan with the proceeds from a summer job I had just landed the week before. A bank is an intimidating place for someone whose only reason for entering in the past has been to withdraw money from a small savings account and to open a checking account the...

I've never met anyone with a credit problem who planned on not being able to pay her bills. Most people don't sit down and decide how to deceive a bank or a department store credit department. Rather, most credit problems result from one of two circumstances:

• Unforeseen events. Divorce, the loss of a job or unexpected medical bills is all very common reasons for negative credit. Most credit-granting institution...

Not all credit cards (or loans) are created equal. Many contain hidden fees. Some cards have low rates but no grace period. Many cards have a grace period but charge a much higher rate of interest. Many dealer-financed auto loans charge a higher rate of interest than what they advertise by using hidden fees. Lenders often take advantage of borrowers' lack of knowledge regarding credit matters.

When selecting a credi...

Do you ever wonder where all the junk mail in your mailbox comes from? What makes an advertiser so sure you'll be interested in lingerie or a new fishing rod? Are they just taking a stab in the dark?

Information has become the hottest commodity of the nineties. The tremendous increase in the data processing power of computers has led to the creation of "super databases," which contain vast amounts of personal inform...

The first step in protecting your credit and name from unauthorized use is to get a copy of your credit report. You should do this every year or so. Look for unauthorized inquiries, accounts that don't belong to you, and other suspicious activity. If you spot anything out of the ordinary, contact your credit bureau and the creditors involved. If the report lists accounts that do not belong to you, you may a...