ADVANCED (Step 3): Can't Live With It and Can't Live Without It OR How to Reduce the Annual Bonus of a Visa Exec Ouch, the cuts and scrapes from your financial "accidents" are taking their toll. You should be focusing on your school work. Unfortunately, you can't sleep at night worrying over how to pay your bills. You don't laugh at the bumper sticker that exclaims "I pay Visa with Master Card." Yeah, debt sucks. But, it's no reason to give up. Time for financial therapy and use of the advanced tricks of the credit card trade. The situation is serious--maybe desperate--but not one that requires drastic action. At least not yet. In this step, we discuss how to cope with serious credit card debt and the strategies for surviving financial difficulty. These include the credit card "shuffle," debit card and checking account "over limit protection" programs, the cheapest ways to use "courtesy checks," cost effectiveness of credit card security, life insurance, and unemployment insurance programs, how to stop an increase in your credit card interest rate and penalty fees, how to respond to rejection for credit cards, when to obtain "secured" credit cards, how to improve your personal "credit score," consumer rights when pursued by debt collectors, how to obtain and correct your credit report, when you can negotiate lower finance charges, refinancing credit card debt, and the most worrisome--"identity" theft. Also, a sample letter is provided for contesting a policy of your credit card company or other agencies for filing a consumer complaint. For those whose financial situation requires immediate professional assistance, we offer suggestions for finding a reputable and inexpensive consumer credit counseling company near you. And, in our quest for your financial empowerment, this step requires a fee of only $10, much less than the "courtesy" check fee that you now will not have to pay. Back to table of contents     Copyright Newtonian Finances Ltd. © 2000-2025 (disclaimer)