DO YOU HAVE HARASSING BILL COLLECTORS IN YOUR LIFE?

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Did you know that I was a bill collector for over 17 years?  That’s right! I did that job, not because I liked it, but because I needed the money.  When I was a collector, I would get harassed by people all the time.  I had to change my phone number at home to non-published and changed my name when talking to people.  Most of us had aliases because of the threats that we would get.  Now I know that this sounds backwards, because most bill collectors harass consumers, but it’s true.  We would get bomb threats.   Once someone came in and paid their bill and then set off a smoke bomb outside our office door.  I would personally get threats on my life and had to basically hide out so that they couldn’t find me.  It just wasn’t fun!

So as a consumer, how do you handle those nasty bill collectors?

Well, the first thing you must do is be able to communicate with them and have a plan when you get on the phone, and never waiver from it.  If you need to offer a payment arrangement, then know going in how much you CAN afford and stick to that number.  If you’re trying to settle your account, then make sure that you can pay what you say you’re going to pay.  Did you know that you can settle accounts with collection agencies and don’t have to pay the full amount?  In most cases, settlements are how collection agencies make all their money.   It’s much more beneficial to settle for a lesser amount if you have a lump sum because you could save thousands. 

If you’re being harassed by a collection agency to the point where you can’t deal with it anymore, then you can send them a cease and desist letter.  What this does is tells them to stop communicating with you.  Believe it or not, this is a federal law.   You can ask for no communication from a collection agency.  This is one of the most effective ways to stop those harassing calls from coming in.  But remember that it doesn’t make the debt go away, it just stops the calls.  You will still have to handle your debt sometime down the road. 

As a consumer, you have rights.  A cease and desist letter is part of those rights.  You can view all of your rights as a consumer by visiting the Federal Trade Commission website at: www.ftc.gov.   Look up the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in the search menu.  That’s the law that was passed in the late 70’s to safeguard consumer from those nasty debt collectors, at the time, they were running rampant with threatening consumers with anywhere from breaking legs to throwing them in jail for not paying up.  Thank goodness that has a changed. 

The Debt Lady says, “Know your rights, know them well and you will never be harassed again!”

If you would like to submit a question for the Debt Lady, email it to thedebtlady@thedebtlady.com. Follow the Debt Lady on Twitter at the_debtlady, on Facebook at debt lady and the Blog at thedebtlady.blogspot.com.

 

Do you have to pay 98 years on your credit card?

I was surfing the web the other day trying to get information on credit card laws, and I opened a site that I thought was exactly what I was looking for. My computer started acting funny almost immediately, and then I got a message saying that I'd been infected with a virus. I talked with my IT guy who told me that there are people who put up these bogus websites with information intended to attract Americans specifically. When you enter their site, your computer is infected with the virus. Why do people do things like that? Unfortunately there are people out there who are only happy when causing trouble and destruction for others.  Fortunately, they are not the majority. I'm going to share a little secret that I've learned from dealing with people who thrive on others' failures: Ignore them. That's right. Go on with your life and don't let them know that they're getting to you. My IT guy fixed my computer and now I know what type of sites to avoid.

 

Once my computer was fixed I was able to find what I was looking for.  The credit card companies have to be more accountable to their consumers, which is great and long overdue. On your statement the credit cards companies have to tell you how long it will take to pay off your credit card.  I saw a statement the other day from a major credit card company.  The balance on the card was around $16,000 and the interest rate was 24.99%.  The statement showed that if the person kept making minimum payments it would take 98 years to pay off.  Now wait a minute!  How can that be?  There are no companies in the world giving loans for 98 years because that would be stupid, they would never get paid.  So how can a credit card company go that long?  Because they make a lot of money off of you!  And because they want you to be a customer for life.  In this example the person would be paying off over $150,000 within that time.  That’s an increase of over 100 times.  Now that’s highway robbery.  So what do we do about this?  We pay off our credit cards as fast as possible and don’t charge them again.  How you ask?  It’s easy, you just have to know how to do it, and do it.  And more importantly!  MAKE MORE MONEY!  If you are able to handle your finances without any problems, then you are more able to make more money.  It sounds silly but it’s true.  Most people have a lot of trouble dealing with money and finances, once you understand what you are doing and have a plan in place, you can focus on the other things in life like family, friends, and making MORE.  Wouldn’t that be a shift in your outlook on life?  I thought so. 

 

The Debt Lady says, “Get the knowledge, handle the debt, make more money and breathe a little easier!”

BILL COLLECTORS THREATS ARE ONLY THREATS

Bill Collectors CANNOT threaten to sue you unless they can actually sue you.  Believe it or not, there are a lot of different laws and rules involved in the actual process of law suits.  Throwing around the all mighty, “I’m going to sue you,” phrase scares a lot of people.  Not only do Bill Collectors say it but so do millions of people and businesses in America.  Your dog can walk into the neighbors yard and poop on it, the neighbor can sue you for it!  Its as stupid as that.  So here are some things to remember if you get threatened by a lawsuit.

1.  Is the company an actual law firm or have an attorney on staff, or are  hey just a regular collection agency?  A collection agency without an attorney, can’t sue you.

2.  Is the law firm in your state?  If not, unless they have an attorney in your state, they cant file across state lines.

3.  Do they have your correct address for service?  This is a silly question, but if they have no idea where you are, they cant get you served, thus no law suit can be filed. 

 

Remember, a threat is a threat is a threat, and the majority of the time that’s all it is, don’t get me wrong, they can and do sue, but get all of the information first.  Know what's happening and be prepared!

 

The Debt Lady says, "Know what you're doing so they dont stomp on your head!" 

Why Do We Pay Money For Things?

By Jerri Simpson, The Debt Lady

Did you ever ask yourself that question? Why do we have to have money? Why do we have to put so much emphasis on money and why do we care?
 
Most of those questions you can answer for yourself, but I want to give you a different view on this whole thing, lets address this question. 
 
Why pay money for things?
 
Because somebody, at some point in time wanted something that somebody else had. They had a cow and wanted some chickens; they traded one for the other and they got what they wanted. At some point somebody realized that they didn’t always have a cow to trade with and wanted more. They developed a way of making nifty looking coins that someone said was worth something, then they invented the almighty dollar. Now I don’t know about you, but a green piece of paper that has $100 on it, doesn't seem right to exchange for a DVD player or game system. How can that piece of paper be of the same value? Because somebody said so, that’s how.
 
So now that I answered my version of this question, is your answer the same as it was before I addressed it? 
 
The bottom line here is that we have to have money because somebody at some point wanted something and didn’t have anything to exchange for it. Emphasis is placed so heavily on it because we need it for almost everything that we do. Since we don’t have a farm anymore to make our own food, or cows grazing in the pasture, we're limited in our means and have to rely on the almighty buck to get us by. 
 
Now that I put this into a different perspective for you, maybe you can realize the real value of money, which is just a means to exchange for something you want and not a big stupid problem that absorbs your life.

The Debt Lady says, "Dream big, love life and be happy!"

 

Don’t let this happen to you! A true story of Tom the tomato.

The tomato seed cost about five cents and was planted in the dirt.  It grew into a mighty tomato as it bathed in water and sun.  One day the tomato is sunning itself and minding its own business when it hears a noise.  All of a sudden the ground starts to shake and the tomato tumbles over.  All at once it is scooped up by a metal arm and dropped on top of a thousand other tomatoes.  Smoke fills the air and the tomato can’t see the sky.  Finally the smoke clears and clouds move by.  The tomato travels far from its home, jostling and crowded amongst countless other tomatoes.  Shortly after the motion stops there is a great scoop that reaches in and picks it up.  It is set on a belt that takes it far within the inner workings of a large factory.   A human hand picks up the tomato and eyes inspect it.  The tomato feels exposed and uncomfortable in its new surroundings.  Once inspected, the tomato is put into a crate and loaded on the back of a large truck, it goes dark and the tomato gets scared.  After what seems like forever, light shines once again and the tomato is moved with a forklift into a cool space.  Just when it thinks its adventure is over it is taken into the produce section where it is carefully shined and polished and placed on top of many other tomatoes.  The tomato waits. 

Finally a hand touches the tomato and squeezes it gently.  It is placed into a plastic bag and wheeled around.  Once at the checkstand the tomato is scanned and costs $1.07--marked up over 20 times its original cost.  The person hands over a credit card that she knows she can’t pay and leaves the store.  Now, the tomato travels to the home to be made into sauce for the family dinner.   The bag that the tomato rests in is picked up by some hands and placed on a counter.  Another person comes in with a different bag and knocks into the tomato with great force and the bag falls.  The tomato is crushed by a carton of white liquid and melts to the floor.   There are loud noises as the tomato falls into a great sleep and everything goes silent.  The tomato is scooped into a bucket and carried to the trash--never to be heard from again. 

The moral of this story is:  If you’re going to put charges on your credit card you need to make sure that you have a plan on how to pay them back, otherwise your spaghetti sauce will be lacking in flavor.

 The Debt Lady says, “Buy my book so that this doesn’t happen to you.”

 

 

Have you been served with a law suit?

Do you know what to do in this situation?  Most people don't have a clue, in actuality; most people ignore the paperwork that they get served to go to court.  This is a big mistake because believe it or not, you can handle it with communication.  Attorneys are people too, they just went to school longer than most of us.  Giving them a call, right after you get served and working out something with them, will help you in the long run.  If they get aggressive or angry, remain calm, they are only trying to make you upset, and believe it or not, it will work only if you let it. 

 

If you got sued because you didn’t have the money to pay a bill, then obviously in most cases you won’t have the money to pay the account in full, but you can work out something with the law firm that is favorable to you and the company you owe.  Remember, a law firm is a third party and not the original creditor, they are just working on somebody else’s behalf. 

 

Here are some helpful hints on how to communicate with a law firm:

 

     1. Breathe

     2. Don’t get angry, no matter what happens

3. Figure out the amount you want to pay a head of time    and stick to it

     4. Be persistent and get what YOU want

     5. Be truthful and never lie

 

I know these seem like silly hints, but under everything that you do are these simple tools that you can use to better your life.

 

The Debt Lady says, "You don’t need a hammer or screwdriver to handle an attorney."

Why do we pay money for things?

Did you ever ask yourself that question?  Why do we have to have money?  Why do we have to put so much emphasis on money and why do we care?

 

Most of those questions you can answer for yourself, but I want to give you a different view on this whole thing, lets address this question. 

 

Why pay money for things?

 

Because somebody, at some point in time wanted something that somebody else had.  They had a cow and wanted some chickens, they traded one for the other and they got what they wanted.  At some point somebody realized that they didn’t always have a cow to trade with and wanted more.  They developed a way of making nifty looking coins that someone said was worth something, then they invented the almighty dollar.  Now I don’t know about you, but a green piece of paper that has $100 on it, doesn't seem right to exchange for a DVD player or game system.  How can that piece of paper be of the same value?  Because somebody said so, that’s how.

 

So now that I answered my version of this question, is your answer the same as it was before I addressed it? 

 

The bottom line here is that we have to have money because somebody at some point wanted something and didn’t have anything to exchange for it.  Emphasis is placed so heavily on it because we need it for almost everything that we do.  Since we don’t have a farm anymore to make our own food, or cows grazing in the pasture, we're limited in our means and have to rely on the almighty buck to get us by. 

 

Now that I put this into a different perspective for you, maybe you can realize the real value of money, which is just a means to exchange for something you want and not a big stupid problem that absorbs your life.

 

The Debt Lady says, "Dream big, love life and be happy!"

IS MONEY YOUR PROBLEM?

From my experience money is THE number one cause of PROBLEMS in people’s lives.  That’s right, over and above everything else in life because most of those other things are caused by not having money.  For instance, people get divorced, have fights, can’t pay their bills, lose their houses and go to court over not having enough money or not managing it correctly.   Wouldn’t it be nice to be free of money problems and be able to do anything that you want to do?  I thought so!   Here are some helpful hints on how to handle your money, so that you don’t have to ever worry about money again!  Are you ready?  GREAT!!

 

1.       Understand how much you make and spend.

2.       Put together a plan on how to handle your debt.

a.       If you need help, The Debt Lady’s new book, Paper or Plastic, can help you with that.

3.       STOP concentrating on money all the time and concentrate on production!

4.       Produce, Produce, Produce

5.       Make more money

6.       Take a ride to the beach and look at a sunset

7.       Relax

8.       Smile

9.       Enjoy life

 

How does that sound?  Fantastic right!  Good, lets do it!

 

The Debt Lady says, “Take the problem of money out of your life, and a permanent smile will be painted on your face.”

Do you have to live within your means?

I was looking over a New York Times article about “living within your means” when it comes to credit and credit cards.  And I have to say that in some ways I totally disagree with this concept based on a few key points.  If you’re overextended on your credit cards then you need to do something about it, this is true, and it’s also true to “live within your means” but I have another viewpoint that you can look at that might be of some use to you: 

1.       If you’re stressed out about money every month, week, day, hour, minute or second, then LOOK at your income and expenses, I mean really look at them.  Find out how much you’re paying in interest per month, your true balances, not the minimum payments, and how much you spend on every other thing in your household.   Once you’ve done this, work out a plan to handle it.

2.       If you have “problems” because of money, then do the same as number 1.

3.       If you got a divorce, kicked the dog, or got foreclosed because of money, then do the same as number 1.

4.       If you ever yelled at a kid, wife, family member, friend, co-worker, or barista because of money DO NUMBER 1.

What I’m trying to say is that life is much easier to confront when you know exactly what it is that is creating the problems.  People have trouble confronting money, by confront I just mean LOOK!  And if you don’t know how to work out a plan, then ask for help!  I help people all the time work out plans so that they no longer have the problems listed in 1 through 4. 

Now, about the “live within your means” part of this whole thing, if you have a plan together and know exactly what you’re going to do to handle your finances, then instead of “living within your means” how about making more money so that your “means” get bigger and bigger and instead of “living within your means” and having your attention on that, how about making more money and living your life without worrying about it and flourish and prosper!

 

The Debt Lady says, “Live your life, love your people and stop kicking the dog!”

I got SUED now what do I do?

If you got served with a summons and complaint the first thing to do is, DON’T PANIC~~!   A summons means, COME to court, and a complaint means, this is why I am suing you!  I know those are pretty simple terms, but sometimes legal papers can be scary!  Why you ask, well let me tell you, its because attorneys use big words that people don’t understand to intimidate them!

 

There are 2 different types of law suits that you should be aware of, the first is you owe it and its legitimate and the second is somebody is trying to get money out of you and are grasping at straws to take advantage of you.  You have to realize that anybody and sue anybody for anything at any time.  Your dog could poop in your neighbor’s yard and he could sue you for it, believe it or not it’s the, American WAY!!!!” 

 

So, if you’re in a situation where you find yourself with court documents, the first thing to determine is, is it real? 

·         Do you owe a credit card company for a debt? 

·         Do you owe for back child support?

·         Did your car get repossessed and now you owe more money on it?

 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then there are things you can do to handle the account. 

The first thing is to confirm that the amount of money that’s owing is accurate.  Sometimes companies will accelerate the amount owed on a law suit and if they do get the judgment against you, they can collect even more money.  Keep in mind that a judgment means that somebody decided on something, and that’s the extent of it. 

If you’ve determined that you owe the money, then call the law firm and try to work out a payment arrangement or settlement if you have the money to offer a lump sum.  Start out low, like 20 cents on the dollar to start, then move up from there and make sure you can pay the money if you have it.  If not then try to work out a payment arrangement.  If none of these things work, or the law firm just wont work with you, then prepare to go to court!  Now don’t Freak out! 

Going to court will NOT kill you, I promise!

 Bring all of the information that you have on any hardship, medical condition, unemployment or any other reason why you couldn’t pay the account so that you can show it to the judge.  Know how much money per month you want to pay and stick to that number.  By doing this, you are confronting your situation and not hiding from it!  You can always hire an attorney to do this for you but realize that the amount of money to pay the attorney may not be worth it!

If you decide to not do anything and let them get a judgment against you, then that is your prerogative also.  But I have to warn you that if you do nothing they can garnish your bank accounts or your job.  Garnishing simple means, taking something from you involuntarily.   They can also put a lien on your house, simply put means that if you sell your house down the road, the judgment will have to be paid as part of the sale. 

Now lets talk a little bit about that law suit where people are grasping at straws trying to get something out of you that they have no right to, or that you are not obligated to handle.  For instance, somebody decides to file a law suit against somebody else and finds your name on the internet where somebody thinks that you MIGHT be connected to them and you MIGHT have something to do with it.  Or your neighbor was tired of your dog pooping in their yard and decided to do something about it without simple communication! 

Then COMMUNICATE by every means imaginable!  If the plaintiff is a neighbor, go knock on the door and talk it out and get them to drop it.  If it’s a company, or someone you don’t know, call them immediately and find out what is going on and get it handled with them.  Get all the documentation that you need to refute it, read every word of the summons and complaint to know what they are suing you for and supply all of the documentation to them and tell them that you are not liable and give them proof.  It is best to talk first and don’t put anything in writing.  You can get an attorney, but realize that its going to cost you an arm and a leg!  You can do this yourself.  Unless you get stuck and cant come up with any other solutions, then hire an attorney, but first try to communicate and handle it that way.   You can also file an answer with the courts, you can look that up and get all the training that you need on the internet.  So, go to court, that way you can fight it.

 

Don’t allow attorneys to do whatever they want to you, communicate to get an arrangement, or fight it if it’s not owed or downright unethical!  Those law firms that put commercials on TV to get consumers to sue companies for no reason, are criminals trying to make a buck off of you.  If it is a legitimate thing, where somebody died because they took a drug or something like that then by all means, SUE, but if it’s an attorney office trying to make money off of you, then realize what it is and fight, fight, fight!

 

The Debt Lady says, “Put your dukes up and clobber them, if you don’t you’ll be the one lying on the ground!”

How CAN I STOP Collectors from harassing me?

Stop collectors from calling you, sound too good to be true?  Well believe it or not, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do.  There is a federal law that governs bills collectors called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and if you know those laws, you can be more in control of the communication that you want or don’t want from bill collectors.  Now keep in mind that this law is for third party bill collectors, which means, not the original collector.  For instance, you owe money to Discover and Discover calls you, they don’t have to abide by the Federal Law, but some companies do!  So these tips are going to be for the bill collectors that are calling from Collection agencies, law firms, and anybody else that is not the ORIGINAL creditor, get it?  GOOD.  So here we go:

1.        If you get a 30 day demand letter from a collection agency, (You will know this by the letter that states you have 30 days to dispute the account) you can request proof of the debt.  But it must be within that 30 days, and if you do so, they can not collect the debt until they supply proof.   There are instances where collection agencies will charge additional fees that they can or cant charge, you need to be aware of how they came up with the money they say you owe, so that you are more in control.  Also, if they cant supply proof, then by law, they cant collect the debt and if they send you more demand letters or call you, they are actually breaking the law and you could file a law suit against them for harassment.  What a concept right?

2.       If the creditor is pounding on your phone at home, send them what is called a Cease and Desist order.  Which basically means for them to stop contacting you.  By law they have to, go figure right?  Make sure that you keep a copy of the letter just in case, to prove that it was sent, again, this is another way you can file a law suit against the company for harassment if they don’t comply.

3.       If the creditor is calling you at work, simply tell them not to call you and that you cant take personal calls at work, and just to follow up with them, send another cease and desist order.   This will get them off of your back.

4.       If you want to communicate with the creditors to work something out with them, do it on your terms, not on theirs, make sure that you know what you’re going to offer and if you don’t get what you want, ask for a supervisor and their supervisor and their supervisor, until you have reached a person that will help you.

By following these simple rules, not including the many other rules that you can find at the FTC.gov website under the FDCPA, you will be more in control of the creditor traffic and be able to do what you intend to do to handle your debt and not be pushed into something that you don’t want to do!

 

The Debt Lady says, “Know the laws, be in control and win the game!”

How CAN I STOP Collectors from harassing me?

Stop collectors from calling you, sound too good to be true?  Well believe it or not, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do.  There is a federal law that governs bills collectors called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and if you know those laws, you can be more in control of the communication that you want or don’t want from bill collectors.  Now keep in mind that this law is for third party bill collectors, which means, not the original collector.  For instance, you owe money to Discover and Discover calls you, they don’t have to abide by the Federal Law, but some companies do!  So these tips are going to be for the bill collectors that are calling from Collection agencies, law firms, and anybody else that is not the ORIGINAL creditor, get it?  GOOD.  So here we go:

1.        If you get a 30 day demand letter from a collection agency, (You will know this by the letter that states you have 30 days to dispute the account) you can request proof of the debt.  But it must be within that 30 days, and if you do so, they can not collect the debt until they supply proof.   There are instances where collection agencies will charge additional fees that they can or cant charge, you need to be aware of how they came up with the money they say you owe, so that you are more in control.  Also, if they cant supply proof, then by law, they cant collect the debt and if they send you more demand letters or call you, they are actually breaking the law and you could file a law suit against them for harassment.  What a concept right?

2.       If the creditor is pounding on your phone at home, send them what is called a Cease and Desist order.  Which basically means for them to stop contacting you.  By law they have to, go figure right?  Make sure that you keep a copy of the letter just in case, to prove that it was sent, again, this is another way you can file a law suit against the company for harassment if they don’t comply.

3.       If the creditor is calling you at work, simply tell them not to call you and that you cant take personal calls at work, and just to follow up with them, send another cease and desist order.   This will get them off of your back.

4.       If you want to communicate with the creditors to work something out with them, do it on your terms, not on theirs, make sure that you know what you’re going to offer and if you don’t get what you want, ask for a supervisor and their supervisor and their supervisor, until you have reached a person that will help you.

By following these simple rules, not including the many other rules that you can find at the FTC.gov website under the FDCPA, you will be more in control of the creditor traffic and be able to do what you intend to do to handle your debt and not be pushed into something that you don’t want to do!

 

The Debt Lady says, “Know the laws, be in control and win the game!”

IRS Makes you Pay Money when you Save Money

If you pay less than the full amount of any debt the IRS makes you pay tax on that money.  An example would be if you owed $1,000 to Chase on a credit card and you settled with them for $400.  The IRS considers that $600 as income to you and you will have to pay tax on that money. 

 

How does that make any sense at all you ask?  Well I ask the same question because it isn’t money that you actually received being what INCOME would be defined as.  Money that was actually received for something or in exchange for something is what is considered income.  So where does the IRS get off in making you pay tax on that money that you save?  Because they can!  So at the end of the day you got a settlement with a creditor, that they agreed to, and now you have to pay tax on that money that you saved. 

 

Really creepy, I say! 

 

If you are in a situation where you have saved money and have a 1099C form from a creditor, find out a few things that could help you so that you may not have to pay that tax. 

 

Did you settle that account because you didn’t have the money to pay?

 

Are you in a financial situation that is not optimum and are having problems making ends meet?

 

If you answered YES to either of these questions, then you may be eligible for a tax break on those pesky taxes.  You would normally claim 33% of the saved amount as income, but if you can prove financial insolvency then you may owe nothing. Find out by going to the IRS.gov website and looking at form 982.  This form determines if you are financial insolvent or not. 

 

If you don’t do your own taxes then I would recommend you get with your tax professional and ask him that question.  You never know what could happen.  But remember, I am not a tax attorney or tax professional and you should always consult one when you have a question, I’m just letting you know that there may be a way to not pay those taxes.  On the other hand, if you have the money and DON’T have a financial hardship, then by all means, pay your taxes on the money you saved.

 

The Debt Lady says, “If you know you have options, then why would you do anything else?”

 

Never Worry About Money Again!

By Jerri Simpson

Do you ever worry about money? Do you worry about what could happen if you buy this or don’t pay that, worry about how much it’s going to cost, or maybe even where it’s going to come from? You’re not alone. So many Americans today are consumed with money worries to the point that they seldom take the time to really enjoy their lives. It’s like constantly looking over your shoulder every minute of the day, worrying about whether your car is going to be stolen or when your cell phone is going to be plucked out of your hand by some hoodlum. It’s exhausting!

Can you imagine what it would be like NOT to worry about money? In some ways, having complete control over your finances is akin to having complete control over your life. But how do you do that? It actually quite simple: Just by knowing where your money is going puts you in better control.

Having a budget is the key to regaining control over your finances. I’ve heard people say that sticking to a budget restricts their financial freedom. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A good budget should include everything that involves your money. It’s your ticket to being able to go anywhere or do anything that you want, without worrying about the cost, or negative consequences to your bills.

If you knew exactly how much you were making, where your money was going and how much you needed for extracurricular activities, then you would never have to worry about overspending or overdraft charges. You could even plan for additional expenses by setting money aside in savings and paying cash when you’re ready instead of outrageous credit card interest.

The richest man in the world could walk into a store and buy anything he wanted without having to think about money. But would he be happy? Well it’s the age-old question: Does money buy happiness? Not even close. Of course you have to make and have money in order to survive in our modern world. But is that what makes people happy? I think not.

Happiness comes from within, from knowing who you are, following your goals and dreams and being the best person you can be. Happiness is putting your attention on the beautiful things in life — a happy family, a short trip to another city, sitting down and talking over dinner or just spending time with your best friends. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to have a good time, to have great friendships, a loving family, or even a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

So learn what you need to know, handle what you need to handle, do a budget, and live your life to its fullest. Breathe in the ocean air or the smell of freshly mowed grass, watch the children playing in the yard, and go out and enjoy life. The only thing you should worry about is absolutely NOTHING!

The Debt Lady Says, “Play your cards right and you might have a flush!”

DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET GARNISHED!

Have you had your bank account or wages garnished?  Did you find yourself out of money, out of time and out of groceries?  If so, you’re not alone.  People get garnished every day.  Why?  Because they don’t confront and handle the problem that they got themselves into.  Bill collectors can be obnoxious creeps that don’t let you get a word in and threaten you with all sorts of things.  This puts people into a position of not wanting to communicate with them and puts them in a worse situation.  Here are a few tips to help you handle those situations so that your money isn’t taken from you:

1.       If you communicate with the creditors you will have more luck handling them so that you won’t get garnished. 

2.       Make arrangements, and keep to them.  Make sure if you get a payment arrangement from a collection agency that you get it in writing.  DON’T take their word for it, bill collectors lie. 

3.       Offer settlements to law firms for less than the full amount, they might just take it.

4.       When you’re supposed to go to court, go to court.  Plead your case and try to get a payment arrangement from the judge, it could be a much better payment arrangement than the one the creditor offered you.

5.       CONFRONT, CONFRONT, CONFRONT!  Look at the paperwork, appear in court, pick up the phone and call.  Go on line and get more understanding on the process and you will be more educated to handle the situation.

6.       Be tough and fight for what you want, don’t back down.

By following these simple steps you can make a difference in your life and not be caught off guard by a garnishment.  I hope I have your agreement!

 

The Debt Lady says, “Keep the money you earn and don’t let anybody take it away from you!”

Say NO to Payday Loans!

Have you ever been called by a payday loan collector and when you got off the phone did you want to barf because they made you feel sick to your stomach?  Well if you answer YES then you have the payday loan blues!  If you got caught in the trap of having to get a payday loan, then in most cases you keep having to get them.  One day you will have so many that you can no longer pay the money back, then those obnoxious collectors will start threatening you. 

 Payday loans are evil and should be outlawed.  Who ever heard of giving money for a week at 99.9% interest?

                               That’s right, loan sharks and the Godfather!

Say NO to payday loans.  Do whatever you can to have money in savings for that rainy day.  Even if you set aside $25.00 per week, you’re putting something into savings so that if you come up short one week, you don’t have to give in to the sharks!

 

The Debt Lady says, “Stop feeding the sharks so that one day they’ll sink!”

 

How do you handle those screaming kids in the toy store?

Why is it that children scream and holler when they don’t get something that they want at the toy store?

 

Why is it that children will be sweet as can be then all of a sudden when you tell them NO they turn into the incredible hulk?

 

Have you experienced this will kids?  Have you experienced it with adults?  That’s right, even adults have temper tantrums when they can’t have something, or when they’re told NO.  But with adults usually they’re told NO from their spouses or their credit card companies when their card declines.

 

But what about kids?  Why does this occur?  Well its simple, they expect it and when they don’t get it, it’s an injustice to them.  Kids that get pretty much whatever they want when their little without DOING anything in return can cause you a lot of trouble.   One day you decide that enough is enough and you stop giving them whatever they want because as they get older, they want bigger, brighter and more expensive things, but they expect you to always say yes, like you used to.  Those children, when they’re young are not expected to do anything for the things they get except a laugh and a smile.  As a parent it makes you feel good to give your kids stuff when they’re little.  But as they grow up, it changes to be unbearable and expensive and your kids end up being spoiled and expecting those things that you used to give them.  So how do you handle this with your kids so that it’s their piggy banks that you’re taking the money from and not yours?  Well first of all, have your kids do something for the money or things that you give them, don’t give them things without them doing something for it.  Even Christmas and birthdays, make sure that they are saving their money and getting something for you as well so that they do something for you and you do something for them.  Do you see?  So here are some tips to help you as a parent and as an adult that will help you in the future with people that get a little grumpy when money’s involved.

 

1.        Don’t go to the store and buy something new for your child as a reward if they haven’t done anything for it.  And DON’T buy the reward before they DO that thing.  This is an important point, if you buy them something that they want and tell them when they get home that they have to DO something for it, they will inevitably take advantage of you and not do it because they already got rewarded.  I don’t know about you but I’ve never been paid before I did the work!

2.       Have a point system, or money system worked out for your household where a child can do certain things to gain money, like chores etc.  It’s better to give them the option on what they want to do for their money then you making them do something that they don’t want to do.  Once the money is earned, go out and have them buy something they want, they will be more appreciative of it.

3.       Acknowledge them!  How good a job they did or thank them for their help.  Ask them to help you with things around the house and smile at them for their accomplishment.  Even if the child is one, they can help.  If they make a mess, let them help you clean it up, if they want to help around the house or in the garage, let them, they want to do things for you.  If you don’t let them because you are afraid they are going to make a mess or screw something up, find something that they can do and let them do it.  The more you tell them not to help you the more resentful they are going to be and the more they will NOT DO anything. 

4.       Encourage them to work, allow them to work and be supportive of them and soon you will have children or spouses that are happy and winning in life because they are doing things for themselves that contribute to what they want in life.

 

REMEMBER, to LET THEM HELP and make their own money.  Reward them for doing something helpful to you or your household and be happy that they are doing it.

 

The Debt Lady Says, “Don’t let your kids run all over you, instead, let they run around for you!”

5 Things to do TODAY!!

Here are Fived things you should do today!!!

• Talk a walk and look at things
• Talk to the barista at the coffee shop and smile!
• Be patient and relax
• Don't eat that thing that you know you should'nt eat!   HeHe
• Enjoy yourself

The Debt Lady Says, "Enjoy life and all the beautiful things will come!"

5 Steps to a Better Financial Life

When credit cards were born in the early 50's people were nervous to use them.  They were worried about how they were going to pay and were consciencious about where their money was going.  People understood the value of a dollar and even the value of a penny because in those days penny's were actually worth something.  Now days people walk by quarters on the street and have no idea how much money is in their pockets.  Boy how times have changed.  We as Americans are hundreds of millions of dollars in debt and still climbing.   When does the climbing stop?    When is somebody going to do something about it? When are we going to get off our asses and confront this thing head on? When?  I ask.   Today I say. Here are 5 steps that you can take right now to start taking control of your finances and your life. 1.  Sit down with your credit card statements and look at them.  I mean really look at  them.  What is the interest rate you're being charged, what is the balance owed, the minimum payments and the amount of years its going to take to pay them off?  Look at them. 2.  Now write it all down in colums on a piece of paper, excel spreadsheet, kitchen wall, dresser, cabinet or any other useful place that you have around the house that you can use.  Write with anything, a pencil, crayons, pen, eyebrow pencil, lipstick, shaving cream, or finger paints.  Write down how much you pay in minimums, your total interest rate, how long its going to take you and how much you spend per month. 3.  Once your mouth is closed and the drewl is wiped from your chin, from the information, start writing down all of the other things that you spend money on every month.  I'm talking everything, from coffee to diapers, shaving cream to ice cream rent to chimney sweeps.  Keep writing and writing and writing.  Once you have put everything down look at it, are you crying, yelling or laughing histarically?  I thought so, you should be.  This is the hardest part and you did it!  Well done!   4.  Now, find every source of income that you have, from newspaper routes to payroll, from tips to child support, from garage sales to selling lemonaide, everything and write that down. 5.  The final step is to compare and see where you're at in the whole scheme of things.  How much do you spend and how much do you make and what are the differences.  Confront it, look at it in essence, be it!  You will find that you are more in control of your finances and your life.  Remember to do this every week and every month, know what you have and what you make,  and believe it or not, your life will be better! The Debt Lady says, "See it, know it and be it and the whole world will look brighter."

5 Steps to a Better Financial Life

When credit cards were born in the early 50's people were nervous to use them.  They were worried about how they were going to pay and were consciencious about where their money was going.  People understood the value of a dollar and even the value of a penny because in those days penny's were actually worth something.  Now days people walk by quarters on the street and have no idea how much money is in their pockets.  Boy how times have changed.  We as Americans are hundreds of millions of dollars in debt and still climbing.   When does the climbing stop?    When is somebody going to do something about it? When are we going to get off our asses and confront this thing head on? When?  I ask.   Today I say. Here are 5 steps that you can take right now to start taking control of your finances and your life. 1.  Sit down with your credit card statements and look at them.  I mean really look at  them.  What is the interest rate you're being charged, what is the balance owed, the minimum payments and the amount of years its going to take to pay them off?  Look at them. 2.  Now write it all down in colums on a piece of paper, excel spreadsheet, kitchen wall, dresser, cabinet or any other useful place that you have around the house that you can use.  Write with anything, a pencil, crayons, pen, eyebrow pencil, lipstick, shaving cream, or finger paints.  Write down how much you pay in minimums, your total interest rate, how long its going to take you and how much you spend per month. 3.  Once your mouth is closed and the drewl is wiped from your chin, from the information, start writing down all of the other things that you spend money on every month.  I'm talking everything, from coffee to diapers, shaving cream to ice cream rent to chimney sweeps.  Keep writing and writing and writing.  Once you have put everything down look at it, are you crying, yelling or laughing histarically?  I thought so, you should be.  This is the hardest part and you did it!  Well done!   4.  Now, find every source of income that you have, from newspaper routes to payroll, from tips to child support, from garage sales to selling lemonaide, everything and write that down. 5.  The final step is to compare and see where you're at in the whole scheme of things.  How much do you spend and how much do you make and what are the differences.  Confront it, look at it in essence, be it!  You will find that you are more in control of your finances and your life.  Remember to do this every week and every month, know what you have and what you make,  and believe it or not, your life will be better! The Debt Lady says, "See it, know it and be it and the whole world will look brighter."

How to create YOUR AMERICAN DREAM!!

What is your American Dream? I used to think that it had everything to do with having things, like houses, cars, money and literally a white picket fence. It has nothing to do with any of those things. It has to do with YOU. You make your own dreams by BEING who you want to BE, by DOING those things that you DO based on who YOU want to BE and in turn you will have a full and RICH LIFE where you HAVE that dream based on you. Not what advertisers tell you that you're supposed to have based on the newest, shiniest, most megabytes or the latest and greatest! Your dreams will make you who you are and those dreams will make you that person. Other people's ideas of what they want you to be do NOT make you who you are they make you a robot in their scheme to control you. Don't listen to the bull shit from other people to influence you, listen to yourself, Find your own American Dream within yourself, BE that person that you want to BE and you will have your American Dream! The Debt Lady Says, "Dream the impossible dream, the only one that matters, YOURS!!!!"