According to ABC News, “the nation has 80,000 fewer workers on payrolls this month when compared to last . . . This is the biggest one-month contradiction in job markets since March 2003.” Many people are being laid off from their jobs and are having a hard time making ends meet.
I was listening to The Cooper Lawrence Show podcast from Thursday night and one of the listeners called in with a credit card problem. The caller is having a tough time right now making ends meet. The credit card company keeps charging her late fees, which have caused her to go over her credit card limit, so in turn they’re charging her fees for being over the limit. She can’t get ahead because of all the fees they’re charging her. She has tried to call the company to work something out, but they keep saying like, “If you’d only give us $200.” She told them she doesn’t have an extra $200, but the company just doesn’t seem to want to help her.
Many people have found themselves in similar situations. Here are some tips to help you handle your credit card debt:
1) Ask for a one time courtesy waiver. If you have been a good customer in the past, then there is no reason why they shouldn’t waive fees.
2) Pay as frequently as you can. Paying $25 a week is much better than paying $100 each month. If you pay $25 a week, then that amount will be paid to the principal sooner and avoid more interest.
3) Don’t ignore your debt. Your debt is your ethical responsibility. If you are having troubles paying your debt, then you should call the credit card company to see if they can work something out. Ignoring the debt will only make things worse.
3) Don’t just speak to the first person. The first person you talk to has been trained to tell you “no”. Ask to speak to their supervisor.
4) Document everything. This includes every call you make to the credit card company, the date, time, person’s name that you spoke with, and what you were told.
5) Pay your credit card payments last. You should pay your most important bills first - your rent or house payment, electric, phone bill, and then your credit card. Many times the loudest voice is the one from the credit card company. They usually scream the loudest and use manipulation tactics to scare you into making your payments. Your debt is your obligation, but when times get tough, they are the last ones to pay. You need a place to live and electric, but you don’t have to have a credit card.
6) Find a way to make some extra money. If you feel like you can’t breathe and you can’t ever get ahead, then try some ways of making extra money. Get a job delivering pizza a few nights a week, even if it’s only for a few months. Start going through closests and sell the stuff you don’t need. Try Craigslist, ebay, a local classified paper (that has free ads), or have a yard sale. Put all of that money towards getting caught up or paying off your debt. In the past few months, I have sold sheets, kid’s clothes, my old vacuum cleaner, toys, and some other things. I’ve brought in several hundred dollars. It’s like having a second job.
7) Get a credit counselor. Dave Ramsey’s site is a place to look for help. I like Dave Ramsey’s tips because they are practical ways that are effective.
8) Freeze your credit if you’ve been the victim of identity theft. Credit bureaus don’t let you know that you can do this though, because they won’t make money off selling your information. Some states will let you freeze your credit before you become a victim. For more information, take a look at Financial Privacy Now.
9) Find out what’s causing the debt. Sometimes it is caused from unfortunate circumstances such as unemployment or divorce, but many times it is from behavior and choice. Are you an impulse shopper? Do you buy more clothes than you need? Repair the holes in your budget.
10) Be leary of companies that offer a quick fix solution. True debt help is not easy. You need to fix behaviors that may be causing the debt. Debt consolidations, bankruptcy, and credit repair companies sometimes are no help if behaviors have not been changed.
11) I am offering this one as a bonus, since it may be hindsight. Hopefully it will help someone though. Before getting a card, avoid getting a one from a company with a bad reputation. In a survey from Consumer Reports, Providian rank the lowest. Following right behind at the bottom were Capital One, Bank of America’s MBNA division and JP Morgan Chase. (source)
Do you have any tips to offer?
译文:
对付信用卡债务的十条贴士
根据ABC的新闻显示，“国家这个月薪水册上的工人数量比上月减少了80,000人……这是工作市场自2003年3月以来最大的月差距。”很多人被解雇并且苦苦挣扎于保持收支平衡中。
我正在听每周四晚播出的《库珀劳伦斯秀》的时候，有位听众打电话进来询问一个信用卡问题。这位打电话的人现在正苦于让收支相抵。信用卡公司一直在向她收取滞纳金，这就导致她要检查信用卡额度，而信用卡公司的反应就是向她收取检查信用卡额度的费用。由于他们不停地向她收取费用，所以她不可能赶在他们之前还款。她努力让信用卡公司解决些什么，但他们的回应总是千篇一律：“除非你愿意支付200美元。”她告诉他们她没有额外的200美元，但是信用卡公司就是不愿意帮助她。
很多人都发现自己陷于相类似的状况中。这里是一些贴士，可以帮助你对付你的信用卡债务：
1） 寻求一次性的礼貌弃权。如果你过去是一个好的消费者，那么他们实在没有理由不放弃一些费用。
2） 尽你所能提高付款频率。每周支付25美元远比每月支付100美元效果要好。如果你每周支付25美元，这个数字会很快付到本金中，也避免了产生更多的利息。
3） 不要忽视你的债务。你的债务是你道德的反应。如果你在还债上有困难，那么你应该打电话给信用卡公司看看他们是否能提供解决方案。忽视债务只会令事情更糟。
3） 不要仅仅与第一人交流。你所交谈的第一个人是训练有素的回绝者。要求与他们的主管谈话。
4） 证明一切事宜。这包括你打给信用卡公司的每一通电话，日期，时间，与你通话人的姓名以及他们告诉你的内容。
5） 最后再还你的信用卡应付款。你应该先支付你最重要的帐单——你的房租或房贷、电费、电话费，
然后才是信用卡。通常情况下，叫得最响的那个就是信用卡公司。他们常常叫得最响，并且用操纵策略来威吓你让你乖乖地付款。
你的债务是你的义务，但是当情况困难时，他们是最后一个付款对象。你需要一个地方住以及用电，但是你不一定一定要有信用卡。
6） 想办法赚点外快。如果你觉得透不过气了或者实在没办法超前，那么就试试一些赚外快的方法。找一份每周几晚送披萨的工作，即使它只是短短几个月。开始在附近的地方兜兜转转，把你不需要的东西卖掉。试试Craigslist，ebay,找一个当地的分类网页（可以发布免费广告的）或者在院子里售卖。把所有这些收入都用在追上或支付你的债务上。在过去的几个月中，我已经卖了被褥、童装、我那个旧的真空吸尘器、玩具和一些其他的东西。我已经赚了
几百美金了。这就像有一份兼职一样。
7） 找一个信用顾问。戴夫
·拉姆齐的网站是一个求助的好地方。我喜欢戴夫•拉姆齐的建议，因为它们是行之有效的方法。
8） 如果成了身份盗窃的受害者，那么冻结你的银行存款。虽然信用局不会让你知道你可以这么做，因为不出卖你的信息，他们就赚不到钱。有些州会让你在成为受害者之前就冻结你的银行存款。更多信息，请点击
Financial Privacy Now 。
9） 找出造成债务的症结所在。有时债务是由于一些不幸的情况引起的，比如失业或者离婚，但是很多时候，它是由于你自己的行为和选择造成的。你是一个冲动型消费者吗？你会买超过你需求量的衣服吗？
修复你预算中的漏洞吧。
10) 对那些号称提供快速解决方案的公司保持警惕。真正的债务帮助是不容易的。你需要调整那些引起你债务的行为。如果行为没有改变，那么债务合并、破产和信用修复公司的帮助都是徒劳。
11) 我把这一条作为花红，因为这有点马后炮。虽然希望它可以帮到谁。在办信用卡之前，避免去一家信誉不好的公司办卡。在《消费者报道》的一项调查中显示，Providian公司排在最末。排在其之前的是Capital One、美国银行的MBNA公司和JP Morgan蔡斯。
你有什么好建议吗？