Getting Out of Debt for Dummies

Auteur

Steven Bucci has been helping people master personal finance issues for 20 years. He authors a popular weekly personal finance column for the financial mega-site Bankrate. Steve is also a personal credit coach, speaker, and expert witness. Steve was formerly president of the Money Management International Financial Education Foundation.

Texte du rabat

The easy way to become debt free Sometimes debt seems insurmountable, but it's not! Getting Out of Debt For Dummies shows you how to reverse the cycle and cope with any kind of debt. You'll learn how to pay off credit cards, personal loans, student loans, and even mortgages as quickly and painlessly as possible. The advice in this book will help you consolidate your debt and create a realistic budget. If your debt situation looks out of hand, you aren't alone. Millions are going through the same thing, and this book has the info you need to get back on track. **Inside...

• Prioritizing multiple bills
• Using credit cards wisely
• Avoiding pay-later scams
• Identifying good and bad debt
• Organizing your finances
• Negotiating with creditors
• Paying off overdue taxes

Contenu

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Getting Out of Debt 5

Chapter 1: Eliminating Debt: The Basics 7

Chapter 2: Facing Financial Facts 33

Chapter 3: Breaking Down the Parts of a Budget 45

Chapter 4: Creating a New Budget 61

Chapter 5: Spending Less and Saving More 85

Part 2: Making Sense of Credit Reporting and Scoring 101

Chapter 6: Discovering How Credit Reporting Works 103

Chapter 7: Understanding Credit Reports and Scores 123

Chapter 8: Monitoring Your Credit Reports and Scores 155

Part 3: Taking Action on High Debt and Bad Credit 169

Chapter 9: Getting the Best Help for Bad Credit for Free 171

Chapter 10: Coping with Debt Collection 185

Chapter 11: Reducing Credit Damage in a Crisis 215

Part 4: Successfully Managing Your Debt and Credit for Life 243

Chapter 12: Starting or Restarting Your Credit in Real Life 245

Chapter 13: Putting Yourself in Control of Your Credit 263

Part 5: The Part of Tens 273

Chapter 14: Ten Debt Don'ts 275

Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Deal with a Mortgage Meltdown 281

Chapter 16: Ten Strategies for Dealing with Student Loans 293

Index 305