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Friday, January 9, 2009

Fixed Rate Starting to Look Better for Reverse Mortgage

By Matt Vanrock

If you were to ask me one year ago which choice for senior borrowers was the better one, between the fixed rate and the adjustable, I would have told you the adjustable with few exceptions.

Cut to the present and that isn't so much the case anymore. This is because the banks dealing in reverse mortgages keep striving to increase their take on the deal.

Rough 14 months ago the margin banks and investors in mortgage backed securities needed was one percent. Margin is simply the profit in the loan.

To give an example the borrower may have gone with an adjustable rate mortgage with an index of one percent. If the margin was an additional one percent the actual loan rate would have been 2%.

Well, margins are on the rise since this time last year. By March they went to one point five percent and by October one point seven-five percent.

Well, it's on the move again. It appears Fannie Mae is telling us preemptively that the expected margin next week will raise up about one half point next week.

I have another article dealing with why the adjustable rate option is so good when it comes to reverse mortgages. It still is, but the fixed rate is becoming more and more attractive as these margins rise.

Here is a thought: what if, at close of escrow, the senior takes a large lump sum when getting a reverse mortgage.

What if the borrower had the choice of taking a large lump sum like $150,000. The lender gives the choice of taking any denomination. What if the borrower takes it all. In this case the fixed may be better because it's about the same as the average on the adjustable with the new higher margins.

Yes, it is true that the ARM is at an unbelievably low point right now, but we're realists and we know this sucker is going up sooner or later.

One other benefit to the ARM over the fixed was that lenders were giving substantially more money on the ARM. This number is not nearly so profound today.

The ARM used to be a no brainer in terms of how much money it gave a borrower rather than the fixed. It's far closer now and one never knows. Perhaps after the change the fixed will give more.

The fixed rate was the ugly sister in reverse mortgages. This is changing.

UK Payday Loan Service

By Ina Constantine

This article looks at the way banks exploit customers with NSF and overdraft fees. It contrasts this with the alternative of using instant cash loans and proposes that these are in fact cheaper than bank fees. It goes on to show how banks lobby aggressively against the payday industry fearing cuts in there fees. The findings are based on a US study by the federal government and is freely down loadable.

An independent agency of the federal government, the FDIC was created in 1933 in response to the thousands of bank failures that occurred in the 1920s and early 1930s. The commission is managed by 5 people who constitute a board of directors. They are all appointed by the President and confirmed in the Senate. No more than three can be from he same political party.

The FDIC Study of Bank Overdraft Programs was initiated in 2006 in response to the rapid growth of automated overdraft programs, defined as programs in which the bank honors a customer's overdraft obligations using standardized procedures to determine whether the non-sufficient fund (NSF) transaction qualifies for overdraft coverage. Data and information were gathered through a survey of a sample of institutions representing 1,171 FDIC-supervised banks, and a separate data request of customer account and transaction-level data from a smaller set of 39 institutions.

FDIC publishes the results of a 2 year study on the banking systems use of overdraft programs. The study found that a typical NSF check can result in overdraft fees and interest in excess of 3,500 percent APR. In addition, the study found that customers in low-income areas (median annual income of less than $30,000) were nearly twice as likely to incur these charges.

The FDIC study reinforces the payday loan industry's position that short-term cash advance loans are significantly less expensive than traditional bank overdraft fees. The study also found that, unlike payday loan companies that offer on-demand products, most banks (75.1 percent) automatically enrolled customers in overdraft programs that carry APRs and other fees far more expensive than the typical cash advance loan.

The study concluded that a typical customer would incur fees of $27- for each $20 overdraft over a 2 week period. A $60- ATM overdraft in 2 weeks would incur an APR of 1,067 percent. A customer repaying a $60 ATM overdraft in two weeks would incur an APR of 1,173 percent and a customer repaying a $66 check overdraft in two weeks would incur an APR of 1,067 percent. Oddly enough the faster one pays down the overdraft the higher the APR turned out to be.

Some consumer advocacy groups like the CRL are lobbying to ban payday loans. This leaves customers with no option than to pay overdraft fees to the banks. CRL have led a charge to pass a law banning payday lending in Ohio. In 2006, Ken Compton, CEO of Advance America, said, "Contrary to the CRL's spin, responsible uses of the payday product provides consumers firm footing to overcome unexpected financial circumstances,".

Some key findings;

Over 90% of banks completed overdraft fees without informing the customer.Less than 8 percent of banks inform consumers that funds are insufficient before transactions are completed, offering the customers an opportunity to cancel the NSF transaction and avoid a fee.

Bank customers complaints about overdraft fees were received by twelve percent of banks.

About nine percent of bank customers have 10 or more NSF transactions per year. 4.9 percent had 20 or more NSF transactions. Customer accounts with 20 or more NSF transactions were charged $1,610 per year in NSF fees on average.

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Mesa Mortgage, an Arizona Mortgage Company

By Brent Mackelprang

What are you waiting for? Refinance today for less? Mesa Mortgage, a premiere Arizona mortgage company has a question for you; what's preventing you from refinancing today? There is a lot of talk about the current state of the economy, and of course there are many concerns about it, but what you may not know is that now is a great time to refinance! Mesa Mortgage, as an established Arizona Mortgage company is able to assist you with your refinancing with rates that are lower than the national average! Low rates that will save you $1000's!

Over the past few decades Mesa Mortgage has established itself as a trusted and respected Arizona mortgage company. Mesa Mortgage has obtained this very impressive reputation by establishing industry standards with unquestionable dedication to customer satisfaction. They are committed to ensuring your refinancing and mortgage needs are always attended to.

Often home owners feel refinancing is the only option they have and sadly, there are some Arizona mortgage companies who view this as a chance to persuade people to refinance even if it is not necessary. At Mesa Mortgage, our goal is to answer your questions and assess your situation to make sure refinancing is really your best option. And if refinancing is the best option, Mesa Mortgage, as an established Arizona mortgage company can do it for less.

Many times individuals talk themselves out of refinancing when refinancing is the best thing for them. All too often concerns about a lack of steady income, high interest rates or potentially high monthly payments prevent individuals from refinancing. Mesa Mortgage can help you determine if refinancing is right and they will gladly resolve any concerns you may have.

As a leader among Arizona mortgage companies, Mesa Mortgage helps potential home buyers get into a new Arizona home more affordably and quicker. With the many reasons to pick Mesa Mortgage you will also find that Mesa Mortgage offers lower payments and lower rates. Plus, Mesa Mortgage's loan program determines the loan that will properly satisfy all your needs.

Mesa Mortgage makes applying for a loan or refinancing simple with their online application. By applying online you are guaranteed quick processing with up to date information available. Along with the online application, you'll find that Mesa Mortgage has rates that are considerably lower than many Arizona mortgage companies and rates that are always lower than the national average!

Mesa Mortgage proudly offers a variety of loan programs, including many loan programs that set them apart from other Arizona mortgage companies. At Mesa Mortgage you'll find great rates on Jumbo loans, Challenged Credit loans, High Debt Ratio loans, Second Mortgage loans, investor loans and more.

At Mesa Mortgage, determining the proper loan for you is essential. Mesa Mortgage proudly offers many kinds of loans other Arizona mortgage companies can not. You find FHA Mortgage loans, Construction loans, VA Mortgages, Investor loans and more. Mesa Mortgage consistently offers the most enticing and competitive rates, always below the national average!

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HUD Teases Seniors With Reverse Mortgage Home Purchase

By Veagure Vanrock

A few months ago, HUD announced 2 wonderful things regarding reverse mortgages. The first attention-grabber was that a home can be bought using the reverse mortgage.

Up until now all seniors could do with the reverse mortgage is refinance their current home.

Borrowers are taking much pleasure in this. They can now apply the reverse mortgage in the same way as a typical mortgage, and come out in the end not having to compensate the lender monthly.

The second great thing I read nearly took me off my seat; it was how they would figure the loan. The appraised value of the home would be the factor detemining the actual loan amount, not the actual sale price.

As it stands for reverse mortgage refinances, there are several different things the banks look at when determining loan amount, but the value of the home is number one.

It was identical when a senior uses the reverse loan for the purpose of buying of a house. The difference to realize is when you get a reverse loan to actually buy a house, it is determined by the least of the cost and the worth.

For a reverse mortgage purchase to be based upon value only sounded almost too good to be true.

I mean think about it. What if a senior borrower came across a great deal. If that property was undervalued by 30 or 40 percent it's theoretically possible the borrower won't have to come to the table with any money to close.

The thing about it is HUD is a pretty conservative group. Although their forward mortgage programs are fairly loose as far as credit and down payment is concerned they still require downpayment. They always seem to ask the borrower to anti up in some manner.

Well guess what? HUD agrees with me. It is too good to be true. They eliminated that clause and have reverted to traditional lending practices.

As a lender, I find it unusual how long it takes to get these Housing and Urban Development letters. I would expect them to have a myriad of attorneys checking these things up and down.

And yet, I received this just a couple of months before the change took place.

In summary, the official basis of the reverse loan, when used to buy a new home, will be the lesser of the price or value.

Useful Guide On MLM Business

By Don Pedro

In the recent days home based multilevel marketing or MLM system is becoming more and more popular for its special ability to link the field level customers with the manufacturers. There are upper lines and commission based lower lines of representatives in MLM system.

What does MLM mean? It's the multilevel marketing system to be precise. And the reason for the name is, there are different levels working actively in this whole system. The manufacturers are there on the top levels and the dealers who are promoting the business and maintain links with the buyers are forming the ground level. For the greater success in MLM business efforts from both the upper line and lower line are required.

It doesn't take much to become an MLM dealer or representative. One can easily become a partner in any MLM business simply by buying some products and enlisting himself for the promotional jobs. And thus it opened a lot of opportunity for people of all classes to earn by working from home.

Some may have bitter experience about multi level marketing due to the negative marketing approach of some over enthusiastic representatives. But the truth is, if you have your long and short term goals set for the MLM form of business with labor will come the success for you.

MLM has opened the door to a lot of opportunities for students looking for a part time job or may be a second job for anyone. It will become more and more with particular products if the quality is maintained accurately, that's for sure.

With the increasing popularity come the troubles. Many people have suffered badly by falling to wrong hands. There are also frauds and sometimes desperate dealers who can make the whole concept of MLM bitter for you. But if you know how to avoid the hazards and have a good communication skill, you can be sure of success in MLM.

Before you can make success out of MLM, you need to work hard. I know ths si contrary to what you may want to read or may have read in so many places on the internet. To be frank with you, nothing good comes easy. You need to make an input before you can get an output. In other words, this business is nto about going to bed and waking up to find millions in your online account. You must work hard and believe that you cna succeed.

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How to Capitalize On Your Time with a Credit Counselor

By Steve Collins

Seeking the services of a credit counselor is an intelligent way to find a solution to your financial problems. An experienced credit counselor has a full arsenal of suggestions and strategies to assist you in making the most of your income and modify your spending habits as you work towards reducing and eventually eliminating your debts.

A key to maximizing your time with a credit counselor is to have certain pieces of information in hand prior to your first meeting. Being ready will help you both avoid wasting time on activities that could have easily been done on your own such as making a list of your expenses and income.

The first thing a credit counselor will ask you is how much you make and how much you spend. The answers need to be precise so that your counselor can help you work out a budget that is actually achievable. As any good credit counselor will tell you, its easy to underestimate how much money youre actually spending every month, so dont merely estimate it. Take a moment to look over a few months worth of bank savings and checking account statements and all of your credit card and store card statements. Try to use the average of at least the last three months to get as accurate a picture of your true spending habits as possible. This is exactly the kind of information your credit counselor will rely on to give you the best help he or she can.

If your income fluctuates because you're self-employed, work on commissions, or get bonuses from time to time, find an average for the last 6-12 months. Again, this is a more accurate picture of your actual income numbers, which will greatly improve your chances of maximizing your time with a credit counselor. Having this information in hand before your first meeting with the credit counselor will mean you can move on to the advice portion of the meeting much faster.

Finally, it is a good idea to write out any and all questions that you may want to ask the credit counselor the night before your meeting so that its still fresh in your mind during your session. Remember " there is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to finding ways to improve your financial situation!

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No Teletrack Payday Loans - What They Are

By Chris Novaczek

When you apply for a payday loan, one thing you may not realize is that your information may be analyzed by Teletrack. Teletrack is a company which provides data verification and fraud prevention services to payday lenders. By outsourcing this verification to a specialized company, the lender can further mitigate their risk and help assure they receive payment on their loans. Teletrack may verify employment data, tenant rental data, court records and several other pieces of information about an applicant. The specifics of this process are not entirely clear however.

Considering that many who apply for payday loans do not have shining credit histories, not all lenders use Teletrack. Some people may actually be able to take out multiple payday loans and pay them off on time, but the Teletrack system may mark these individuals as risky. Not every lender will put full faith in the Teletrack system and would like to provide loans to everyone who can pay them off on time. For individuals who are seeking multiple payday loans, finding a lender who offers no Teletrack payday loans can be beneficial.

More opportunistic online payday loan companies often will not send applicant data to Teletrack for analysis. Since most data needed to verify loan eligibility is collected in a standard application, a lender can use their own judgment in determining whether to provide a loan. Teletrack is a convenience, not a requirement. Often it will be the smaller online payday loan lenders who do not use Teletrack because accepting more sub-prime applications allows them to remain competitive with the larger lenders.

The process of applying for a no Teletrack payday loan online is the same as applying for a regular payday loan. Typically a site will have a one page form which in which you will fill the requisite information. The more information you provide, the better your chance of securing a loan. For example if the form asks for two references, you should try and list two.

It may be more difficult to get a payday loan with bad credit, but it is certainly possible. If you're having a hard time getting a payday loan online, you just need to find a lender who offers loans with no Teletrack. You will be hard pressed to find such a service in a traditional payday store, so your best option would be to find a lender online. It should not be too difficult to find a willing lender in the competitive online market. Search around and you should find one in no time!

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Making Money Understanding Options Spreads.

By Walter Fox

Yes, a professional non-market day trader with stock options and stock options for the swing I understand you have the option to use the spread in the wild days of confusion can make money. While I work in the office almost every day because I am always the possibility of normal to do what I do.

While my "hold and keep" stock portfolio has suffered during the recent plunging market, I have been able to soften the blow my making some very nice huge percentage gains in my stock option trading account on almost a daily basis.

While my stock option trading strategy may seem naive to the professional traders my success cannot be denied. I have made an average of 40% a day on the days of the wild market swings. While this wild market continues I think this is an excellent options strategy that the average part time trader can do from his office.

This was how I did something very important option in the world, money is able to trade. First I only trade in the account of your options 2 stock trade. The reason being is that unless I really I do not follow the stock more time to do my normal job since I'm doing. In fact, in the form of a stock to understand, with almost one in its response so you will know how it is needed, or when the market plunges skyrockets. It's how I react with extreme market activity to study the stock to understand your business category. As an example I know that when the market is "a" usually goes down 2% or 3% and the stock market down whne it usually goes down 500 points to tell the understanding plunges 200 points A need to give a stock is trading'm saying is giving 5 to 7% and then about the same to say that the market does step in countering. I really do not care about the money, etc., but I am sure that my 2 stock market swings out of the IE will affect their movement to take any specific goods are not. Bank shares, etc.

Once I understand how these 2 stocks reflect the market activity I then study their trading range.Lets say that during these will swings the stock trades between 57 and 63 roughly. I then study the corresponding options lets say 57.50 or 60's. I have really learned in the past month that the volume on these options is very small. As an example I might buy a small number of options, lets say 5, on a fortune 100 company and I am the only one trading any options for the entire day. I am very amused to see that my buy or sell price is duly noted as the high or low with a my volume of 5 options. However one must be very careful to understand the the real significance of the bid and ask spread when you are developing your options trading strategy. This spread has little or nothing to do with the last trade price as the market may well have soared or plunged way past the last activity price.

As for the choice I like my stock options, I basically use of communication options, there is a deadline for at least a week, feel more comfotable in a month. I would also like to make a call or put option is a little money. If the significance of the low-end stock tading activities can be said to be 58 years old, I usually buy the 57.50 call.

Maybe I am totally naive or just lucky but with todays markets I find trading stock options based on my method gives me one or 2 opportunites every trading day to play this strategy.The key if to truly understand how the stock you are playing reacts to large movement in the general market.

All in all, I let the market drive the stock price fell 2 or shares, I very closely. When the stock market has also driven a significant increase or decrease, and then I choose to trade on the basis of the stock market's trading range, I see the development of the stock and its response to the huge mobile market. This work very well for me, but one must be able to have a computer, real-time stock market moves into a warning.

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Negotiating Your Way to the Best Remortgage Deal

By Troy Cruz William Engle Dawn Khoury James Nissen Robert Hill Chris Laning Janet Taylor Jack Enders Bruce Gross Rick Bean Keith Wood Ray Johnson Alex Velez Juan Hines Paul Holtz Kenya Rios Peggy Dye Lucas King David Hebert Karl Howell Jarrod Lucky Ruth Coats Doris Lund Ryan Hudson Henry Bush Lonnie May Arlen Bell Wanda Kuebler Kevin Stiles Nick Horton Jorge Pina Frank Vera Chad Copp Fred Brod Jose Cruz Jeremy Stanley Mark Jones Kelly McMahon Barney Bernard Ailleann Alan

Finding a good mortgage deal is difficult to do and no one is ever going to dispute this. If you want to find a good remortgage deal you are going to have to talk your way into it. If you want to save a lot of money and get a great remortgage on your home, you are going to want to follow these tips.

Know what your situation is now. It is really important that you know what you are currently paying in interest and how much money from each payment is going towards your principal. This should be easy if you have your loan invoices handy, but if you don't there are calculators on the Internet that will help you to figure out the math. Once you see just how much money you are wasting towards interest you are going to realize that you are going to have to become a fast talker.

The next step is to make a few appointments with some local banks. The first bank that you meet with should be a practice bank where you can figure out exactly what your bargaining strategy should be. The first bank will give you an idea of what type of negotiation can be done and how much can be done. Don't go to the bank that everyone says has the best deals first, because you are just using this bank to test the waters. The goal of the mission is to see exactly what you need to improve on so that in the future you can talk to banks and get the best remortgage deal possible.

Compare offers. Now that you have talked to a couple of banks and have found out how much they are willing to negotiate and how much you can get from them, you are going to want to go back to the banks and tell them what you found out. You want to use their quotes against each other and see if they can come down even farther. You may find that you can get them to match a bank's offer or throw in something extra if you go with them. Banks and mortgage companies really want your business, and when times are economically tough and you have good credit you are able to bargain a lot more.

Play hard to get. After meeting with a bank, they'll often have someone call you and pressure you into choosing them. If you play hard to get and tell them that you are still meeting with other banks, they will be more likely to keep giving you better and better deals. The first time they call, they will often give you a better deal than what they offered you in person, the second time they call they might throw in a free gift and the third time they call you might even get a spectacular deal. By holding out and seeing what exactly they will offer you, you are going to find yourself getting the best remortgage deal possible.

If you don't plan on bargaining, you are probably losing out on the chance to get a better remortgage deal. If you aren't going to do it yourself, ask someone else in your family to do it for you. Bargaining and talking with banks is going to be the best way to get the lowest remortgage deal out there.

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Credit Cards For People With Bad Credit

By Gray Rollins

If you have had credit trouble or other financial difficulties in the past, it can be difficult, if not impossible to be approved for a credit card. This is a very heavy hardship, since a credit card is needed to do many things now.

Want to rent a car? Reserve a hotel room? Buy plane tickets online? You need a credit card for all of these and other activities which are part and parcel of ordinary life for many. Without a credit card, whole sectors of the economy are basically closed to you - it's a hassle and makes you feel like a second class citizen!

However, there is some good news. Even if you have bad credit, it is still possible to get a credit card; there are a couple of options available to you no matter what kind of credit history you may have. These credit cards come with some conditions and charges not associated with traditional credit cards, but they can help you to participate more fully in the economy and can also help you to rebuild your credit.

People with poor credit histories can try cards such as the ones offered by many credit card companies to those who would not otherwise qualify; these card have annual fees and APRs which are higher than other offerings, but for many, the chance to rebuild their credit and have the convenience of a credit card make these a worthwhile cost.

If your credit is in especially poor shape, another way to get a credit card and start rebuilding your credit is to get a secured credit card. There are some limitations on these cards (a low spending limit, basically) as well as a deposit which you'll need to make in order to receive the card. This deposit is generally pretty low - a few hundred dollars, typically. These are one of the best options for people who cannot get a traditional credit card.

Yet another idea for those who cannot qualify for a traditional credit card is a prepaid credit card. These work like any other credit card in that they can be used anywhere that credit cards are accepted, but they are linked to an account into which you must make deposits before the card can be used. These offer the benefit that you cannot get yourself into debt - you cannot spend more than you have deposited in the account.

Prepaid credit cards let you buy online, rent cars and do all of the other things which a credit card is necessary for.

Bad credit can be tough to deal with. Don't give up; these credit cards for bad credit can help you as you rebuild your credit - just be careful with your new credit card!

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Green Dot Prepaid Card - Review

By Dan Moskel

The Green Dot Credit Card is a prepaid credit card. It is frequently used by individuals that don't have a checking account.

Card holders get free direct deposit, which can save hundreds of dollars a year on check cashing fees. It is accepted world wide.

There is no bank account required or credit check. It does have a monthly maintenance fee of $4.95 but this fee is waived if you deposit $750 or more monthly.

You can access cash at over 900,000 ATM's in 120 countries and it is accepted online and over the phone.

There are however some criticisms of this card such as; the number of fees and poor customer service. There is a reload fee of $4.95 when you use MoneyPak.

MoneyPak's can be purchased at many retail locations including; Wal-mart, CVS, Kroger, Walgreens and many more. It does carry a $2.50 ATM withdrawal fee and a $9.95 card activation fee.

It is issued as a Visa or MasterCard through the Columbus Bank and Trust Company.

They do offer an upgrade to Premier Membership; the advantage is you will receive priority customer service. This upgrade costs an extra $20.

You can purchase this card at retail locations or you can fill out an application online and have a card sent to you within 7-10 business days.

Parents have found this card useful to teach their children money management skills. Additionally it is an easy way to send students money that are away at school.

Your money will be protected if your card is ever lost or stolen. It is a much safer alternative than carrying cash.

You use it to pay your bills. Additionally it will give you a convenient way to track your spending and stay within a budget.

In sum we do not suggest this card. We are alarmed at the extra fees for priority customer service. We feel that when it comes to your hard earned money everyone is entitled to priority service.

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The Facts About Guaranteed Payday Loans

By Trinity Thomas

People that won't get paid for a while but need money now often turn to guaranteed payday loans. Lending institutions that specialize in this type of loan can often get funds to you more quickly than other types of lenders.

If you plan to apply for an advance in your pay, youll want to do the research to pick a lending institution. Legislation on these types of loans can be different depending on what state you live in. If state you live in offers no legislation, youll want to be completely clear on what the fees and finance charges will be before you borrow the money.

Finance charges on loans of this type can range anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of the amount borrowed in most situations. Since the finance charges can be quite large, youll want to only borrow what is truly needed. Youll also want to be sure you will have no problem paying the money back in full by the collection date.

Borrowers that are unable to pay the money back when it is owed, in most cases two weeks from the lending date, the interest will continue grow exponentially. The best plan is to be wise in the amount you borrow.

Some lenders will automatically withdraw your payment from your checking account, and others will ask you to write a post dated check. Either way, lenders usually want you to come back in to make the payment yourself.

Bounced check penalties from your bank and the lending source could be applied if you dont have enough money in your account to cover the check so be sure to pay the borrowed back in full and on time to avoid unpleasant repercussions.

If you want to take out a guaranteed payday loan, getting one is now quicker than ever. You can apply online with most lending institutions. You will need to input some simply personal history and information. Part of what makes the turn around so quick is that if you qualify, most places will deposit the money directly into your bank account. It just might be the best answer to your financial troubles.

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How to Eliminate Credit Card Debt - The Snowball Effect

By Philip Crafton

People in this country are suffering under huge debt. Nearly everyone has at least one credit card and most have multiple credit cards. Moreover, in tough economic times many are only paying the minimum.

As everyone knows that plan will take you, no where on the path to debt elimination. You will simply sit and spin your wheels hoping that you win the lottery so you can pay off these balances. What if there was a better way?

Using what is known as the credit card snowball effect you can pay down then pay off all of your credit cards. Currently you are floating along only doing the minimum, this way you take an active role in your debt elimination.

Snowballs start out small and unassuming by rolling them around they will grow in a hurry! Now apply this concept to paying down your balance, start with a little extra and watch it snowball until the card is clear of any balance!

Snowballing your credit card balance to achieve debt elimination is not difficult. You take a little each month and add to what you are already paying. You take the balance down faster and therefore the interest you pay, which in turn grows the amount of your next payment that goes toward principle, this is the credit card snowball effect.

First, look at the common practice for paying off credit card debt. This is what conventional wisdom says is the best debt elimination practice:

Write down all your cards.

Put them in order according to interest rate percentage.

Add extra money each month to the card with the highest rate until it is paid off.

Rinse, lather then repeat for each credit card in your wallet.

Sounds like good advice doesn't it? On the surface, this is a great debt elimination exercise and eventually it will work. However there are times and situation where this is not the correct way to reverse the credit card snowball effect.

All of your credit cards have different balances and interest rates. It would only seem to make sense to pay off the highest interest first. Nevertheless, consider these numbers.

For the sake of argument, lets say that you have two cards with different interest rates. Let us further assume that the interest rates are ten and twenty percent respectively. Choosing which one to pay will depend on the balance on each. If your 10% card is caring a large balance then your monthly interest accrual will be higher than the larger interest rate.

The above example just goes to show that higher interest is not always the enemy of your debt elimination. The credit card snowball effect will quickly take your balance to new heights. Particularly if you are only making the minimum, payment required.

A better way of attacking this situation is to turn the credit card snowball effect in your favor:

Create a list of all your credit cards and their rates.

Choose the one with the highest interest accrual each month.

Begin concentrating all the extra money you can toward that credit card.

Pay only the minimum on the rest of your cards until the first is paid in full.

Continue in this manner until all cards have a zero balance.

Sometimes a debt elimination plan means looking at things with a new perspective. This way of using the credit card snowball effect will have you free of your debt woes in no time.

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