Fact and fiction about consumer debt relief

Debt Relief Programs

Downsizing Causes Credit Card Companies To Change Tactics


As a group, citizens of this country are carrying more than one trillion dollars in credit card debt, the most that we’ve ever seen in this country. And, each month, there are more and more consumers who are not able to make even the minimum payments on their credit card accounts.

And, so many of these consumers are in such dire straits that they are close to filing bankrupt. A primary reason is that many credit card holders have either lost jobs or have otherwise lost much of the income that they depended on to pay their monthly bills. After the loss of income they sadly discover that they don’t have enough to even cover all of their essential expenses like food, rent, and utilities – let alone their credit card bills.

So many families have had the economy kick them in the teeth over the last couple of years. The credit card companies, being ever aware, have noticed this and in response started to change their way of marketing. For example, it was only two years ago that anyone who had reasonably good credit was receiving hundreds of credit card offers a year.

Today, most of the credit card companies are not nearly so competitive in beating the bushes for new prospects. Instead, they are concentrating on pulling more money from their current customers than they already have. They do this with a very aggressive strategy of inventing novel fees to charge the customer for all sorts of things.

Credit card companies have begun to restrict the number of prospects they send cads out to. This is partly a response to the increasing number of card holders who have employed debt negotiators to help them reduce the balances on their credit card. This has, of course, caused the companies to suffer big losses. But, a second reason for their change in attitude is due to the fact that the number of potential credit worthy customers has decreased dramatically.

Now, unfortunately, life is becoming a lot more difficult for consumers in financial trouble as the credit card companies become ever more aggressive about collecting their balances from card holders that are delinquent.

Different Debt solutions you can look for


What are the different debt solutions that you can look out for?

If you are knee deep in debt and having a hard time managing your finances or improving your credit, you can take professional help to get you out of this financial crisis. When you are looking for debt solutions, there are different options that you can consider.

Different debt solutions

If you are having difficulty in managing your debts and are looking for debt solutions, you can consider the following options:

  1. Debt consolidation programs – This is offered by the debt relief companies who consolidate all your smaller debts into one and reduce the rates, making your monthly payments affordable. This may also waive off any extra charges like late payment on your part. The debt relief companies analyze your financial condition and offer you a reduced rate that is affordable for you.

2. Debt consolidation loans – This is a way to manage your debts without affecting your credit score. You can         take a single new loan with low interest rates to pay off your several debts. This would reduce your repayments and would also have a positive impact on your credit score.

3.  Debt settlement – This is offered by your debt settlement companies who negotiate with your creditors or the collection agencies and are able to reduce your outstanding debt by 40 to 60 %. This however, leaves a negative impact on your credit score.

4.   Debt management plans – Enrolling in a Debt management program is one of the most popular debt solutions used by consumers to make debts more manageable. Debt management programs are offered by credit counseling agencies that prepare a simple budget to help the consumers pay off their debts. This also has no negative impact on your credit score and helps you handle your budget efficiently.

It is important to find the right debt solutions for you, if you want to pay off your debts on time. It also helps you get rid of the harassment from your creditors. Paying off your debts would reduce your stress and would also leave a positive impact on your credit score not including the satisfaction you will receive after you erase credit card debt.

Credit Card Debt Settlement in 2010


Credit Card Debt Settlement is a great way to start to get your finances in order. You can negotiate with the credit card companies to reach a debt settlement that can suit both parties. This can also help to relieve stress about your finances.

You have a choice whether to manage the negotiations yourself or to hire a credit card debt settlement company. Some companies do charge a fee for their services, leaving you less money available to repay debts. Many people with credit card debt decide to be proactive and contact the creditor themselves.

Before you contact the credit card company, it is best to be prepared. The company will usually ask for a statement of your income and monthly expenses. The expenses will need to broken down into broad spending categories, like rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, and so on. This will help both you and the company judge fairly what you can afford to pay each month towards your debt settlement.

When placing the telephone call, try to remove yourself from distractions like kids or the TV. You need to appear to be in control of your finances and prepared to make a new commitment on what you can afford to pay. Keep your emotions under control during the call, however distressing it may be.

Be aware that creditors will use various tactics to meet their objectives. Some staff at a credit card debt company are focused on keeping you as a loyal customer, so can be quite helpful and considerate of your circumstances. However, the farther behind you are in your payments, the less lenient they will be.

If the debt has been transferred to the debt collection department of the credit card company or to an outside debt collection company, then their focus will be firmly on repayment. They will often use pressure tactics to goad you into offering a larger sum. This is where you need to have your budget clear so that you know the maximum you can afford. It’s good to keep in mind that these members of staff often work on commission, based on what credit card debt settlement they can reach with you.