Banks expect to send out 3.2 billion card offers this year…

How to negotiate the best deal on 6 common fees & expenses…

What is the danger of making minimum credit card payments…

Gift cards: For the person who has everything (or whose tastes you simply cannot fathom), gift cards are a safe bet. You can find cards on discount at www.giftcardgranny.com.  The site pulls prices from six gift card discounters, which buy unwanted cards from other people that they then resell for less than face value. Discounts can be as much as 50%, although most are in the 15%-to-20% range. And the rules for gift cards just became more consumer-friendly (see Gift Cards: A Better Deal Now).

Checking accounts: Banks everywhere are eliminating free checking accounts, but with a little creativity you can still avoid paying that extra $8 to $15 a month. If you arrange for direct deposit or maintain a minimum balance, or bank online and skip the paper statement each month, your bank is likely to waive the fee.  About 750 community banks and credit unions offer free checking accounts with no minimum-balance requirement. They’ll also pay as much as 3.5% interest if you use your debit card ten to 15 times a month, arrange for automatic payment or direct deposit each month, and receive your statement electronically.  www.checkingfinder.com.

Groceries: For many families, a bulging budget is the result of excess spending at the supermarket. Ditch the gourmet grocers and shop at Trader Joe’s or warehouse stores.  While you’re at it, use coupons, which you can find online (at CouponMom.com, Coupons.com and CouponCabin.com). Or, for $5.95 a month, you can get customized coupons from Shopping Nanny. Shopping Nanny recently guaranteed that if you spend more than $90 a week at the grocery store, you’ll save $40 a month using its service — or your next month’s membership is free.

Connectivity: Bundling your cable-TV, phone and Internet service can save you — dare we say it — a bundle. For example, you pay just $85 a month for 12 months if you sign up online with Verizon for unlimited local and long-distance calling, high-speed Internet service and DirecTV with DVR service. That saves $50 a month compared with buying the same services separately.

Cell-phone plans: Wireless carriers keep you tethered to them with two-year contracts and tempt you to renew with snazzy new phones or monthly discounts. But you can slash your costs with a prepaid plan, especially if you’re paying extra for text messaging and data plans.  All of the major carriers plus a number of smaller firms offer prepaid plans. Compare them at www.prepaidreviews.com/compare , then check the carrier’s Web site for more details. Before you compare plans, decide what is most important to you.

Related posts:

1. April 2011 NO MORE Mortgage Newsletter
2. January 2011 NO MORE Mortgage Newsletter
3. November 2010 NO MORE Mortgage Newsletter

If you can free up $33/month, you can usually take one or two months off your debt plan—this is found money!
If you have not taken the time recently to make a comparison of the cost of your insurance premiums with other companies, you are probably paying too much for your car and home insurance.  Let me tell you why.   About two and half years ago I went in to see my insurance agent with a quote from another company.

Immediately my insurance agent proposed a move to another company so we could beat the quote I had brought in.  It was amazing how quickly that happened upon me walking into his office. Just two weeks ago I got on the internet and asked for another broker to give me insurance comparisons from several companies.  After answering a few questions and visiting with Crystal on the phone I ended up saving over $100 on my home insurance per year and $300 on my two cars each year.   That gave me $33.00 extra per month to put into my emergency fund, or apply to my debt plan to eliminate all my debts faster than ever.  Your insurance score that the insurance companies receive from the credit bureaus is constantly changing, and in many cases it will allow you to get a lower premium on your insurance than you think is possible.

What is the difference between a credit score and an insurance score?   A credit risk score is a number, produced by evaluating information in your credit file at a credit reporting agency, which evaluates the likelihood that you’ll pay your bills on time. FICO® scores, the scores that most lenders use, are based on mathematical models built by FICO and are available from any of the major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).

These are used by financial institutions and retail credit grantors for all kinds of decisions: whether or not you get a credit card, or what kind of an interest rate you qualify for on a mortgage loan, for example. A different kind of a score is used by most insurers to help evaluate the risk of insurance applicants and policyholders. This score, generically called a credit-based insurance score indicates whether you are more or less likely to have claims in the near future that will result in a loss for the insurer.

There are obvious similarities between your credit risk score and your insurance score: There are, however, important distinctions. The credit risk models are built to predict the likelihood of delinquency or non-payment of a credit obligation. The insurance risk models, by contrast, are built to predict the likely “loss ratio relativity” of any particular individual.  Loss ratio is the amount paid out by the insurance company in claims divided by the amount they collected in premiums. Loss ratio relativity measures whether the cost of your insurance claims is expected to be higher or lower than average. Insurance scores are not the only factor used to set pricing, nor can they be used to deny coverage to any consumer.  This score is most often just one factor of many in an insurer’s underwriting evaluation.  Because of my experience with Crystal I would recommend going to her website which is www.expressinsurance.net  or give her a call at 801-655-1823 for help.

A profile of the average American financial situation…

Americans have grown up with the saying “Keeping up with the Jones” and they have come to accept it. Americans want to have everything that their neighbors have, and if they don’t have the money to buy it, they put it on credit. They believe that they need to live the same type of lifestyle as those around them but that lifestyle can quickly spiral out of control. Americans and the government fail to live within their means. Instead of cutting back on expenses and saving some money for the future or even retirement, many live in the moment. And unfortunately, that’s difficult to come back from.

The combined amount of personal debt in the US is $2 trillion which is about the GDP of England. That means Americans are in debt more than a country earns in a year.  And that $2 trillion debt boils down to $117,951 per household.  The statistics don’t get much better from there. Even though Americans are a hard-working and industrious people they undertake too much debt and save too little. In the 1960s the average American saved 11 percent of their paycheck and in the 1990s it had decreased to 5 percent and then in 2003 it fell to 2.3 percent. However, because of the shaky economy, savings among Americans have recently risen and now comprise up to 5 percent of their disposable income.

But despite the savings, many are failing to save for retirement Medicare and Social Security are going bankrupt, so individuals can’t rely on those programs or the government when they retire or can no longer work. They need to save up their money and prepare for their future. Currently, only 18 percent of Americans are confident about having enough money for retirement. And only 60 percent of Americans are saving for their retirement. So what about all those that aren’t saving? Hopefully they have some children that will take care of them in their old age or some backup plan.

Finances are tricky especially in today’s world, but it’s important to cut costs where you can and get a savings plan. As prices continue to rise and incomes (well don’t) it’s important to keep debt to a minimum and look out for yourselves and your family.

Remember, you don’t have to have everything brand new and it takes time to accumulate things. When people get married today they think they need a house and everything in it.

In the past newly married couples would start out with furnishings they got from a family member, at a yard sale, or just do without. But today the expectations Americans have can sometimes get out of control.

Beware the Debt Monster!  Look at compound interest …

Look at how compound interest can work against you.  Credit card and mortgage companies understand this.  You must get out from under their grasp. Be afraid, be very afraid of your debt. It is growing this very moment without you charging another thing. “Why?” you ask… because of compounding interest!

In terms of debt, the simplest way to think of compounding interest is to think of paying interest on interest.  Each month, interest is added to the principal so that every month thereafter, you are charged interest on the interest that has accumulated up to that point, as well as the principal, until paid.  This may be contrasted to simple interest, where interest is not added to the principal.  Simple interest is rarely used and monthly compounded interest is standard on most loans and credit cards or lines of credit.

Example: Suppose you borrow $1,000 at a simple annual interest rate of 20%.  At the end of each year you would owe $200 in interest, plus the $1,000 in principal until paid.  Therefore, at the end of five years you will owe $2,000 ($1,000 in principal and $1,000 in interest) as follows:

Year    Principal    Interest    Balance
1    $1,000    $200    $1,200
2    $1,000    $200    $1,400
3    $1,000    $200    $1,600
4    $1,000    $200    $1,800
5    $1,000    $200    $2,000

However, if you borrow $1,000 at an interest rate of 20% compounded annually, then, assuming no payments, at the end of five years you will owe $2,488 (the original principal amount of $1,000 + $1,488 in total interest), a full $488 more:

Year    Principal    Interest    Balance
1    $1,000    $200    $1,200
2    $1,200    $240    $1,440
3    $1,440    $288    $1,728
4    $1,728    $346    $2,074
5    $2,074    $415    $2,488

Using the same examples over 10 years, at high interest rates, the amount owing can grow quite quickly.  At the end of ten years the compounded interest loan has grown to double that of the simple interest loan.  As credit cards are normally compounded on a monthly basis, interest can often be more than the original principal amount when only minimum payments are made.

What is the danger of making minimum credit card payments…

Let’s say you have $1,000 outstanding on a card at 20%.  Assuming no new purchases,
if you have a minimum payment of $25, what is your balance next month?

Well, the $1,000 accrues interest of $16.67, so if you pay $25, you reduced your principal by $8.33, and the new balance is $991.67.

In a year the math goes like this:  You pay $300, the credit card accrues interest of just about $200, and at the end of the year, you have reduced the balance by $100.

How good an investment is this?  You pay in $300 and you get credit for $100?
The answer is that it depends on which side of the equation you’re on.  The credit card company loves it.  You are hating life.

This is why the old saying is true:  “He who understands interest collects it, and he who does not understand interest, pays it”.

How can you beat this rap?  The only way is to pay a little bit extra.  If you could find $5/week to pay as extra principal on this debt, you’d have $20 new each month.  That would take your payment up to $45/month.

Now let’s re-do the math for a year.  This time you pay in $540, and the credit card accrues interest of about $200.  (Actually, it accrues less, because the principal balance is going down—the exact figure is just over $140).

So, in this example, you actually reduced your principal by $400!
Bottom line–you paid in $540 over the year, and you got credit for $400.  Things are looking a lot better, aren’t they?

And how hard was it to come up with $5/week?
That’s skipping one lunch out each week.  It’s skipping two coffees a week.  It’s skipping one soda each day.  It can be done.  Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Related posts:

1. January 2011 NO MORE Mortgage Newsletter
2. November 2010 NO MORE Mortgage Newsletter
3. October 2010 NO MORE Mortgage Newsletter

Two-thirds of Web surfers fall prey to online crime….

Most of us now purchase online, the following study results are worth taking a second look. Note that half the cases never get solved.

The average amount of time spent to resolve a cybercrime and the average cost vary from country to country, according to the Norton study. About two-thirds of Internet users globally and nearly three-quarters of Web surfers in the U.S. have been victims of online crime, according to a study to be released on Wednesday.

The top countries as far as reported victims are China, Brazil and India tied for second, and then the U.S., according to the findings of the study, titled “Norton Cybercrime Report: The Human Impact.” More than 7,000 adults in 14 countries were interviewed for the study. While one-quarter of respondents said they expect to be victimized by online crime, only half said they would change their behavior if they became a victim. Of those who have been victimized, 44 percent reported the crime to the police. It takes an average of 28 days to resolve a cybercrime and costs on average $334, the report found. One-third of respondents who were victimized said they never fully resolved the matter. Computer viruses and malware are the most common types of online attacks, with 51 percent reporting being impacted by them, followed by 10 percent hit by “online scams,” 9 percent by phishing and 7 percent each for social network profile hacking, online credit card fraud and sexual predation, according to the report.  Read more on CNET.

Here is the economic statistic of the month…

The chart tells its own story. This means one home in seven is now at least 30 days delinquent on their mortgage payment, and it’s obvious where the increase is coming—from those who are late more than 90 days or in foreclosure. This is due to continuing under and unemployment, and it won’t change until people get back to work.

Health-care Answers to seven questions about new rules…

Parents who want to add their adult children to their health plans are about to get some relief as the health-reform provisions kick in on 9/23, six months from when the landmark Obamacare health insurance bill was signed. Many of the changes are meant as a bridge until 2014, when for the first time health plans will be available, with subsidies for those who can’t afford it, in a new insurance marketplace; most individuals will have to have coverage or face a financial penalty; and insurers won’t be able to reject applicants who already have health conditions. Even though this first wave of the health overhaul’s significant changes takes effect for most health plans Sept. 23, many Americans won’t be able to reap the benefits until January at the earliest because the law applies to new health plans begun or renewed on or after Sept. 23.

Here are answers to seven common questions, based on interviews with health-policy experts.

1. What is a grandfathered health plan? Some employers and insurers may make only minor changes to their health plans so they don’t have to comply with all the new regulations right away. These are so-called grandfathered plans, and every year the law makes it harder to be one. Employers and insurers are supposed to disclose in writing if their health plans have grandfathered status. If you’re unsure whether your health plan is adopting the new rules, ask if it has grandfathered status.

2. What new benefits apply to both grandfathered and new health plans? There are three major new benefits that apply to both kinds of plans. Health plans that place lifetime dollar limits on the benefits they potentially pay out on behalf of a member will no longer be able to impose such limits. Right now, those lifetime limits can be low in some industries and types of coverage. All health plans also will be banned from excluding children under age 19 because they have preexisting health conditions. And they can’t retroactively cancel your coverage if you get sick, a practice known as rescission that became a problem in the individual health-insurance market.

3. Are annual benefit limits still allowed? Yes, but the thresholds get higher each year before they completely disappear in 2014. For new group health plans, the minimum annual limit on how much a health plan has to pay out in benefits rises to $750,000, but cash-strapped small employers can apply for a waiver. While some seriously ill patients still may find the $750,000 annual limit a hardship, this policy change, if applied broadly, would meet many cancer patients’ needs.

4. What’s changing with preventive care? For new health plans, preventive-health services that have proven effective with a grade of “A” or “B” from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force will be available to consumers without cost-sharing, making them effectively free to the patient. That includes routine immunizations and screenings such as those for breast, colon and cervical cancer. Smoking cessation is also covered, but it’s unclear how many counseling sessions would be free of cost-sharing. Plus, since the task force makes recommendations for people at average risk of diseases, those deemed high risk still may have to pay a copay for screenings their doctor prescribes. Questions remain about how patients can claim the benefit in some cases. But the change will help people who currently forgo routine screenings because of out-of-pocket costs.

5. Can I add my adult kids to my health plan? In most cases, parents will be able to add or keep their adult children on their health plans until those children turn 26, regardless of their educational, marital or dependent status, and health plans can’t charge more for them than other dependents. Most employers today only cover children to age 23 if they’re in school or 19 if they’re not in school.

6. Will I have any more recourse if I need to fight an insurer’s decision on a claim? Yes. New health plans will have to open up a second level of appeal through an external third party. Today health plans and employers have an appeal process they manage if they have someone who feels their claim was wrongfully denied. New plans will have to have an external appeal process that would potentially override the first-level internal decision.

7. Will my health-plan costs rise because of the new benefit requirements? Probably, but the additional cost will take different forms. A recent survey of large employers from the National Business Group on Health suggested the new rules related to health reform will add about 2% to the cost growth projected for their 2011 health plans. Many employers are scouring their plan designs for ways around cost problems. Because almost all of the reforms that hit early are in the form of benefit mandates, establishing minimum standards for benefits, this will raise cost for employers who do this without cutting somewhere else. Most employers are looking to keep their costs even or mitigate their cost increases by implementing other changes at the same time. It appears that was already happening before health reform became the law of the land. Thirty-eight percent of large companies said they reduced coverage or raised co-pays in their 2010 health-benefit offerings, up from 22% who did so in 2009, according to a survey released earlier this month from the Kaiser Family Foundation. What’s more, 36% said they increased the workers’ share of the premiums this year, up from 22% who passed on a bigger share of the premium last year.  Read More at MarketWatch.

Featured Article:  Overcoming the Urge to Splurge with NO MORE Mortgage

Since 1996, NO MORE Mortgage has been helping thousands of clients across the country reach the path to financial security. Our comprehensive approach to professionally managed debt elimination, combined with ongoing financial education, provides results to NO MORE Mortgage clients who enjoy interest savings of $20,000 to $200,000 or more. Find out how you can eliminate all of your debt, including your mortgage, in as little as nine years, without harming your credit!

For more information and to get a FREE audio CD call NO MORE Mortgage today. 1.800.285.9102

Will the NO MORE Mortgage Financial Plan work for me?

To find out if you qualify today! Find out what thousands of satisfied NO MORE Mortgage clients already know about taking control of their finances, and using the power of reverse compounding interest to beat the banks at their own game! NO MORE Mortgage Representatives are standing by to answer all of your questions about our program, including how soon you will be debt free, and how much money you will save in interest!

Related posts:

1. NO MORE Mortgage and the Federal Government
2. Why Americans Can’t Afford to Retire
3. NO MORE Mortgage: Budgeting Tips for New Budgeters

NO MORE Mortgage is asked from time to time about debt settlement companies.  While we do not negotiate with creditors or hold client funds in our custody, we can recommend a reputable third-party firm to help those of you in financial crisis.

You can always call your NO MORE Mortgage Plan Coordinator for a review of your financial options. We can discuss the pros and cons of debt settlement vs. NO MORE Mortgage, along with Consumer Credit Counseling and Bankruptcy, to help you honestly evaluate your choices. Learn how NO MORE Mortgage is different from debt settlement here.

Having a trusted 3rd party counselor in a tumultuous time like this can be lifesaver.  NO MORE Mortgage is happy to help.  Please read the article below that summarizes the industry.  A second post will discuss the risks and the consequences of choosing debt settlement.

If you’re drowning in unpaid bills and desperately looking for a way out, chances are you’ve come across an offer that sounds something like this: For a fee, a professional debt-settlement company will help eliminate your debt for as little as half the amount you owe.

Does this sound like a scam? Or are you finally getting the break you deserve? The answer may surprise you. Debt settlement is, in fact, a perfectly legal solution for consumers who are in deep and seeking an alternative to bankruptcy. But having a debt-settlement company do the legwork for you can be risky and expensive.

The Basics on Debt Settlement vs. NO MORE Mortgage

If you are falling further and further behind on your payments, creditors would much rather agree to settle your debts than have you file bankruptcy and not get paid at all.

For an agreed-upon one-time fee, usually between 10% and 60% of what you owe, your creditor eventually forgives the rest of your debt and starts reporting the account to the credit bureaus as settled, or paid as agreed. On your credit report, the balances of settled debts will show $0. However, any previous history of delinquent payments or charge-offs will remain for all to see.

In order to get your creditors to do this, you’ll need to start putting money aside toward the settlement, and you do this by stopping payments to your creditors.

Not surprisingly, creditors don’t like to advertise debt settlement. They also make it an extremely difficult solution to pursue. As a rule, creditors won’t negotiate with consumers who are current on their bills, usually refusing to discuss settlements unless you’re at least three to six months behind. That means you will have to dodge collection calls while trying to save up the cash for a settlement.  This is one of the little known downsides to the whole process.

If you’re working with several creditors — you’d typically tackle the debts one at a time as you collect the money to pay them off, but it’s hard, if not impossible to know which creditor might fall out of line and attempt to sue you, or which one will be willing to settle first. In the experience of NO MORE Mortgage, clients who have hired debt settlement companies do not really do much better than if they had done the negotiations themselves.  What they are buying when they hire a third party to represent them is avoidance of the stress of negotiating.

Once you sign up with a company, chances are you’ll pay dearly for its services. Again, in the experience of NO MORE Mortgage, these fees are all over the place.

Some companies charge a percentage of the total debt — typically 15% to 20% — that’s paid before you start accumulating savings. Others charge a percentage of the debt savings — usually 25% — once you settle, plus an initial sign-up fee and monthly service charges. Then there are those that charge a flat monthly fee throughout the length of the program.

(read more on this subject, including the downside of debt settlement, and our NO MORE Mortgage commentary on the consequences and experiences that our clients have had when they have chosen this solution.  In our opinion, it’s all of the bad, and none of the good)

Learn how NO MORE Mortgage is different from debt settlement here.

Will the NO MORE Mortgage Financial Plan work for me?

To find out if you qualify today!

Find out what thousands of satisfied clients already know about taking control of their finances, and using the power of reverse compounding interest to beat the banks at their own game! NO MORE Mortgage Representatives are standing by to answer all of your questions about our program, including how soon you will be debt free, and how much money you will save in interest!

Related posts:

1. NO MORE Mortgage Plan vs. Debt Settlement
2. NO MORE Mortgage: What You Should Know about Consumer Credit Counseling
3. Do you really know how much you owe on your debt?

NO MORE Mortgage specializes in assisting clients who are able to meet their monthly debt obligations.

Sometimes when financial reversals hit, or spending has simply gotten out of control, we are forced to admit that our financial inflow is not equal to our outflow.  We are simply spending more than we earn.

If this trend is not stopped, and credit cards are maxed out, and there is nowhere else to borrow money, the ultimate consequence is that our finances “hit the wall,” and we simply run out of cash.  We are insolvent.

If you are reaching a “breaking point” similar to the one described above then NO MORE Mortgage may not be the answer for you. There are, however, three main solutions that can be considered.  One is bankruptcy.  Another is Debt Settlement.  A third is consumer credit counseling.

NO MORE Mortgage is not a credit counseling firm.  There is a big difference between NO MORE Mortgage and the other debt elimination categories described above.

• NO MORE Mortgage does not handle client funds.
• NO MORE Mortgage does not negotiate with creditors to lower balances, interest rates, or monthly payments.

If you are considering credit counseling be sure to spend some time researching your options before signing up with an agency that you do not know much about.  Most people are not familiar with their options and the programs available, and when money is tight, emotions are usually running high, and it’s easy to make a bad decision.

There are many credit counseling agencies to choose from.  Knowing what to look for is key to your success.  Reputable agencies will provide you information upfront about their company without you having to provide any of your own personal identifying information.

Your task in choosing the right agency is to be sure that you do your homework. NO MORE Mortgage can help you make the right decision.  Here are our recommendations:

• You should interview at least two agencies.
• After you receive your initial consultation, you should contact the Better Business Bureau or your State Attorney General to see if there have been any unresolved complaints on the agency.
• Be sure the agency is charging you reasonable fees (not more than $50/month for a debt management plan).
• The credit counseling agency should be non-profit.
• The agency should have been in business for at least five years.
• The counselors at the credit counseling agency should be certified by an independent organization.
• The agency should be accredited.  The two major evaluators are the International Standards Organization (ISO) or by the Council on Accreditation (COA).
• The agency should be a member of one of the trade associations: either Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) or the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC).
• The agency you are considering should be licensed and bonded to do business in your state.  This is an absolute requirement for your protection.
• The agency should be willing to waive or lower fees if you simply can’t afford them.
• The agency should spend a reasonable amount of time for your initial consultation. At least an hour is needed.
• The agency should provide you with a written budget based on your personal financial situation.

One of the most important points is to be sure that the agency offers free education to help you learn how to manage your finances. They should also provide you free ongoing education while on the debt management program, or even if you decide that the program is not right for you.

If an agency is not willing to answer your questions or you feel that the answers are not satisfactory, call someone else. NO MORE Mortgage can help by referring you to honest and effective agencies that we have dealt with for many years.  We get no referral fee or kickback for this service.

We know that when we get you to the right people to help you through your financial crisis, that you are likely to return to NO MORE Mortgage for help with eliminating the rest of your debt, including your mortgage.

Related posts:

1. Overcoming the Urge to Splurge with NO MORE Mortgage
2. 5 Evil Things Credit Card Companies Can Still Do
3. Are your emotions affecting your spending and building your debt?

We may feel the need to dine at an expensive restaurant in order to “celebrate” a specific achievement. Or we might go out and purchase a new outfit because we have been treated unfairly and we “deserve” to be pampered. Compulsive spending is usually an attempt to fill an inner emotional need, but the pleasure we feel from our shopping “spree” is only temporary, followed by guilt and the knowledge that we have only increased our debt load. This urge to splurge can eventually cause difficulties on a long-term basis. Not only will our financial stability be damaged, but relationships can also be jeopardized. Somehow we must recognize that our happiness and self worth will not come through spending.

NO MORE Mortgage can help you overcome the urge to splurge.

Security and satisfaction will come as we take care of essential needs and savings, before considering our wants. You may recognize yourself as a compulsive spender. Good for you! That is the first step to overcoming your urge to splurge. Asking yourself a few questions can help you to understand your emotional needs and how they play a role in your spending addiction.

What does money mean to you?

We tend to handle money situations the way our family did when we were growing up. Some might feel as though they missed out on opportunities as a child and want to make up for that now. Does money make you feel accepted, loved, important? When you think of acquiring more things does it bring you comfort or make you feel happier? Are you a procrastinator? Will there always be time to save for important future events, such as a home, vacations, education, or retirement?  Is paying off your debt an important priority, or does the thought of becoming debt free and having NO MORE Mortgage just seem too distant and unreachable?

Do you understand the cycle of your addiction?

Addictions form a cycle that is difficult to break. That cycle usually begins with a feeling of discouragement or negative self worth caused by unresolved issues. The compulsive spender believes that spending money will fill that emptiness and make them feel more worthwhile and complete. At the time they make their purchase they feel happy and fulfilled, but after, they are once again faced with their financial problems and their feelings of negative self worth.

Where does your money go?

Experts at NO MORE Mortgage agree that understanding where you are spending your money is one of the most important steps in learning to manage emotional spending.

A compulsive spender finds that much of their income is already spoken for by the required monthly debt payments resulting from previous purchases. While you are shopping, it is helpful to notice the cost of individual items as well as the amount of your total transaction. For one month, keep track of how much you spend. What areas seem to have the most transactions? For instance, does restaurants, clothes, or video games take over your budget?

What role do your emotions play?

Stop and think about the way you are feeling when you consider buying something. How do you feel immediately after the purchase is completed? Put a name to the emotions: excited, happy, fearful, guilty, sad, angry. How do you feel about the purchase later that day or the day after? How do you feel the next week? Add up your total spending for the month. Were your emotional needs met? Do you actually feel more successful, happy, loved, safe? Are there feelings of self doubt, worry, and fear because of the choices you made?

It can be quite helpful to understand that the urge to splurge has a direct connection with our emotional needs. Understanding that you have allowed your spending to have power over much of your life can make all the difference. By taking time to think about your emotional state before you make a purchase, you will be better equipped to overcome your addiction, leading you to a much more successful financial future.

For more information and to get a FREE audio CD call today. 1.800.285.9102

Will the NO MORE Mortgage Financial Plan work for me?

To find out if you qualify today! Find out what thousands of satisfied NO MORE Mortgage clients already know about taking control of their finances, and using the power of reverse compounding interest to beat the banks at their own game! NO MORE Mortgage Representatives are standing by to answer all of your questions about our program, including how soon you will be debt free, and how much money you will save in interest!

Related posts:

1. NO MORE Mortgage gives you a plan for your debt. What’s your plan today?
2. Are your emotions affecting your spending and building your debt?
3. NO MORE Mortgage Tip – Are you keeping an eye on your spending?

If you’re like most people, you signed up for a homeowner’s insurance policy to satisfy your mortgage lender.  However, as life runs its course our circumstances often change, and if you don’t take the time reevaluate your insurance needs you could wind up in trouble.  It only takes one natural disaster or major accident to derail you from the path to NO MORE Mortgage, leaving you in financial ruin.

Don’t get caught without the coverage you need, contact NO MORE Mortgage for more details

Are you a high income earner?

Do you live in a fault zone?

Do you live in a flood zone?

Does your home have a basement?

Do you own expensive jewelry or family heirlooms?

Do you employ people in your home?

Do you have a mortgage balance of over $300,000?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, NO MORE Mortgage suggests that now may be the time to double check your insurance coverage to make sure you are sufficiently protected.

In some circumstances you may need special types of policy coverage to meet all of your needs. For example, NO MORE Mortgage suggests independent insurance policy for any piece of jewelry or heirloom worth more than $5,000 or making sure your policy does not have a “per item” coverage eligibility limit.  Most standard policies will not cover damages due to flooding and certain types of natural disasters.

NO MORE Mortgage also recommends fully disclosing to your insurance carrier any high risk elements of your home like swimming pools or trampolines.  While you may be tempted to hide these things to get a lower insurance premium, if you have an accident involving something that you didn’t disclose on your insurance application, you WILL NOT be covered.

To find out about how NO MORE Mortgage can help you eliminate all of your debt, including your mortgage, in about nine years, contact us today.

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You need to begin somewhere, and that somewhere is to have a goal, and for each goal a strategy.

One strategy to help eliminate all of your debt is to use a mortgage to consolidate debt. It sounds sort of strange to use a mortgage to get rid of your debt and the mortgage itself but it can actually be a very wise and effective strategy. NO MORE Mortgage urges strong caution when considering a consolidation loan, however, because it can also have the potential to leave you in worse financial shape than when you started. Let’s take a look at the positives and negatives, and some things you need to know if you consider using this strategy.

Using a Consolidation Loan to Achieve Debt Freedom and NO MORE Mortgage

If you are a homeowner and can qualify for a home loan to consolidate your personal debt, you may be able to get a loan for the purpose of paying off your credit cards, automobile loans, and other debts. That’s what you’ll be told. You need to realize that this approach doesn’t actually pay off the debts in the loan. You are really just relocating the debts to the mortgage consolidation loan and there is good and bad involved in that.

You could get a new first mortgage for this strategy. Or you can do it as a new second mortgage which does not impact the terms on the current primary mortgage. Today it is harder to get a second mortgage and the rates are generally higher than on a first. You generally aren’t looking for a second mortgage unless you can’t refinance your first, or primary, mortgage.

So what are the positives for using a mortgage in a consolidation (no more mortgage) strategy?

1. You could get an improvement in your monthly cash flow right away. If this is done right, you should end up with an improvement in your overall debt payment thanks to a smaller mortgage payment. You aren’t making the payment on the debts you “paid off” in the new mortgage anymore (more on that later) which is where you’re saving money every month now. You should see a significant difference between payments on the new loan versus the old loan (plus the old debt payments) allowing you to save possibly hundreds of dollars a month or even more. You will find larger savings if you have significant amounts of debt. If you are not saving a significant amount of money thanks to the new mortgage payment you need to re-think what you are doing before you sign any loan paperwork. For existing NO MORE Mortgage clients, contact your account manager for help on calculating a breakeven analysis.

2. You will see an improvement in the interest rate to be paid on your overall debt. Rates for a home mortgage are very low today. Credit card rates typically run much higher than mortgage rates, and it is a more expensive personal debt since it calculates based on compounded interest. Mortgages are calculated using simple interest which helps keep the debt from getting out of control as credit card debt often does.

3. Your tax write off or liability is generally improved. Your mortgage will most often bring you a generous tax write off. You will most likely not be able to write off any of the interest on your credit card debt. Your mortgage is larger right now and the amortization on a new loan is focused more on the interest than the principle. Your tax professional will be able to affirm your eligibility for tax deductions. They may also be able to show you where you can change your deductions and bring home more cash to go against your debt if it makes sense.

4. You would be wise to use the additional cash you nowadays have to attack your personal debt and pay it down faster. Not only can you pay down on your personal debt, but you can start paying down the mortgage and rebuilding your equity faster, too. Use that surplus cash to get that new 30 year mortgage consolidation loan paid off in 1/2 to 1/3 the time. This technique also helps you rebuild the lost equity in your home faster at a certain point in time. Take a minute and think about what that would mean to you. You could be free of personal debt with no more mortgage payments and very bright future.

Now let’s look at the potential negative effects of using a mortgage loan for a debt consolidation (no more mortgage) strategy:

1. You are taking out a new mortgage loan that is larger than the one you had before. You have to make sure the new payment is affordable and that you can make the payment on time every month. That shouldn’t be a problem since you are saving money, having put some of your debts into the mortgage and offsetting those payments. Make sure the new loan strategy makes sense financially or you need to look for another option. The new loan is secured by your house which you don’t want to put at risk so make sure you completely understand the terms involved.

2. You need to know what the total costs are for the new mortgage loan you are taking out. High fees could mean the payment might not make sense. Be sure to double check everything before you move forward. If you aren’t getting an obvious benefit from it, don’t sign any paperwork until you have the deal that works for your budget and strategy.

3. Consolidating your debts in the mortgage can increase your all-inclusive personal debt load at the start. You might find that some loans don’t lower your payment enough to make it worth it. The new loan is not the better option for you if you are not able to gain enough cash flow to accelerate the pay down of your debts.

4. Even if your overall payment is lower, your spreading credit card and other debt payments out over the next thirty years. The cost of lower payments in the long run, is that you will pay more in interest since the term has increased.

What you need to know from NO MORE Mortgage:

1. Mortgage Consolidation loans have not historically made a huge contribution to improving the future of the homeowner. This is really easy to mess up and many have. There were homeowners getting consolidation loans to free up their credit cards, but then a year or two later they had filled up their credit cards all over again. This comes from a lack of financial discipline. Moving your personal debt around has given you additional cash flow to use for your benefit. However, debt has a way of sneaking back up on you when you least expect it and can easily wipe out your cash flow improvement if you aren’t disciplined.

2. Your mortgage guy’s commission could be tied to the interest rate on your loan. And that has a direct impact on your new mortgage payment. The higher your rate the more that they could make unless they are charging you a loan origination fee instead. In some cases, they get both an origination fee plus commission from the lender based on your rate. It is very important that you read the paperwork in the initial loan quote and disclosures, and then read it again before signing so you know exactly what you are paying. Don’t be surprised if you end up haggling with your mortgage company over the rate as it could be directly affecting the amount your mortgage company will make on the loan.

3. Many people will go for the loan option with the most cash out left over after “paying off” some debts. What sounds good initially could hurt you in the long run as you are paying interest on each and every dollar you are pulling out. And it’s coming out of your home’s equity. You really don’t want any of that money going towards anything else but what you really need it for to make your strategy work.

4. Be aware of any pre-payment penalties on your current loan. This is very important. You would not be the first person to end up losing at least several thousand dollars in equity due to a penalty on your current mortgage loan. You should go through the old documents on your existing mortgage. You would be surprised at the high percentage of people that don’t know they have an early pay off fee. The place to check is in your current mortgage documents.

5. Make sure you are working with someone on your loan that is working in your best interest. Getting a recommendation from your friends and your family is a good way to start off. Make a list of the people that were recommended and look them up on the BBB (Better Business Bureau) website to see what their rating is. You have to work very hard to maintain a high rating with the BBB. Here is an example from NO MORE Mortgage: This is the BBB rating for No More Mortgage.

You have some good information on the best way to achieve NO MORE Mortgage. Now consider the following:

1. Getting a mortgage loan to consolidate debt does not pay anything off. Your mortgage just swallowed up the debts you rolled into it making it even larger. The risk of losing your home has increased as you have reduced the amount of equity available, should you become unemployed or need to tap into it for an emergency. Using the cash flow improvement wisely can make all the difference in succeeding with your financial goals. However, this strategy can be a very bad move if you are not disciplined. You run the risk of running up your personal debt all over again once your credit cards are paid off and freed up. That is not the way to achieve a financial goal of having no more mortgage or other debt payments.

2. You should have a payment on the new mortgage that is higher than the previous one and you have to be able to pay it on time every month. Your new mortgage consolidation loan payment will be less than the previous total debt payment you had, freeing up cash you need to be very careful with so you don’t waste the opportunity you have to get ahead.

NO MORE Mortgage, where a debt free future can be yours today.

Like many NO MORE Mortgage clients, you might have experienced the cash out/refinance cycle previously. Some people have gone through it 2 or 3 times, and each time they free up their credit cards just to watch them fill back up slowly over a couple of years, or maybe even just months. This can be a dangerous strategy. You have to have the financial discipline to put your extra cash flow against your debts to make this work. The rewards are huge and your future could be at stake if you don’t address your debts before it’s too late.

Remember, you’re working towards becoming totally debt free and retiring with no more mortgage or other payments. With the right strategy you could achieve that and more.

Your friends at NO MORE Mortgage

P.S. – Watch our short 2 minute NO MORE Mortgage video to learn more about the NO MORE Mortgage program.

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2. Do you really know how much you owe on your debt?
3. NO MORE Mortgage gives you a plan for your debt. What’s your plan today?

We’re living in tough economy right now. You probably know someone who has lost a job or possibly even their home. If there has ever been a time to take control of your finances and get your debt under control, it’s today.

Credit card debt, your mortgage and auto loans, and the list of debts that are robbing you of your future go on and on. Every month you are paying anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars on your debts that you would rather put away for the retirement you deserve. That money could be compounding and growing for you. Instead it’s compounding and growing and building your creditor’s future. NO MORE Mortgage can help you unlock the secret of reverse compound interest.

You’ve heard about retirement funds getting cut in half–or worse–over the last few years as the stock market has shown itself to not be as dependable as many have counted on it to be. And you can’t give yourself a raise if you work for someone else. So how do you get ahead and contribute more to your savings and retirement? You pay off your debt faster and put that extra money that would have gone to your creditors towards your own future, and NO MORE Mortgage can show you how.

At NO MORE Mortgage we’ve helped thousands of clients over the past decade to get on track to a debt free life and a brighter future.

Carrying debt is not only limiting and holding down your potential retirement income, but it can create an enormous amount of stress in your life and in your relationships. Take control of your finances and your future.

Watch our video and learn more about NO MORE Mortgage and how we can help. Ask for your free audio CD today.

Your friends at NO MORE Mortgage

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There are two things that are critically important to your financial future: eliminating your debt and building a retirement income that will allow you to live the lifestyle you deserve instead of just getting by, or worse, having to continue to work.

First, let’s talk about building retirement income. We aren’t living in the high interest rate environment we saw in the 80’s or 90’s where you could get high returns due to where the interest rates were sitting. When you’re investing and the rates are high it’s a lot easier to make money on your money. Now it’s much more difficult to find high returns.

Thanks (partially) to all of the controversies that have rocked Wall Street there is much less trust in the stock market. We’ve seen movement in the market in both directions, but it hasn’t gained much overall in the last few years. It’s going to take longer to build your retirement if you’re overly depending on the stock market, or investments in low interest rate products. That’s not to say you don’t want to have part of your portfolio in the market but you need to be realistic about your expectations there.

Something else you should be doing is making contributions to your retirement based on your expected needs. Far too many people base their contributions on how much they feel they can afford to take out of their paycheck, which is usually much less than it should be.

One of the only sure returns you will get on your investment is paying off debt. Debt is like a double negative for your finances. First, you are putting money towards a debt which you are paying interest on. Aside from your mortgage, you most likely are not able to claim a tax write off or credit for the debt either. The other thing to think about is the fact that the money you are paying towards debt could be going towards building up your retirement accounts. Those accounts would earn interest and then build the size of your retirement over time. So not only are you losing the opportunity to build your own retirement, but you are contributing to your creditors by paying them interest.

Paying the debt off as soon as possible can dramatically reduce the amount of interest you pay and often wipe out years of payments. In our program the average client with a mortgage can save over $100,000 and is often completely out of debt in around 9 years. Imagine how much faster you could build up a substantial amount of money if you were able to put the all of the money you pay out for debt each month towards you retirement instead. How much do you spend on your mortgage and your debt each month? $1000? $1500? $3000?

We’re living in a changing economic environment today. There is very little you can count on. You need to take control of your future and not let it be dictated by someone else. No one can foreclose on your home if you own it. And retiring with enough money to live on comfortably is much easier to attain if you focus on eliminating your debt and building your own future instead of your banks.

The reason we say above that you have to think a little differently now is that much has changed over the last few years and will most likely continue to change. You have to be more proactive in protecting yourself and building your retirement than in the past. We can help you address the debt which is critical if you are carrying a mortgage and additional debt on top of that. We’ve been helping our clients for over a decade and are ready to send you a resource that will help you determine what you can do to change your future for the better.

Learn more about eliminating debt by going up to the top of the page on the left and filling in the information to get your free audio CD.

Get on track to a life with no more mortgage or other debt payments and build a stronger, more solid financial future.

P.S. – Watch our short 2 minute NO MORE Mortgage video to learn more about our program.

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A strong foundation for financial independence can be found in learning to budget skillfully. If you are like most folks, budgeting is not the first thing that comes to mind when deciding on how to spend your leisure time. But you’ll discover that it’s one of the most effective ways to get ahead financially if you stick with it.

You can also improve your retirement contributions, as well as pay your debt down more rapidly, by learning to budget well. You could find yourself free of debt and with no more mortgage payments years earlier than you expected by incorporating good budgeting practices into your financial plan. Budgeting can also make it easier to survive the surprising financial emergencies that can come up by building up an emergency savings fund.

If you use a budget now, or have tried to in the past, you know it can be a real challenge. Here are a few steps to help you stay with your budget and stay on track to the financial success you deserve.

Crack down on your wasted spending and save money right away:

Go through your current bank statement and write a description of what each amount of money was spent on. Next, add up the items that you really didn’t need. It’s also common to see that there are some items you bought that you wasted more money on than you thought. You may find that you spend too much money on things like going out with your friends or eating out for lunch.

Focus on building your savings for emergencies:

You should work towards building up adequate savings to handle an emergency that comes up, or a period of unemployment. The last thing you want to do is to have to use a credit card and pay interest on an expense you didn’t plan on or budget for. Use your budget to determine how much you could put into your savings every week or every month and get started.

Use cash with more awareness:

You want to use cash or a debit card instead of credit cards whenever possible. Avoid using your credit cards because they have a compounded interest rate. The interest that builds up can get away from you and could led to big trouble financially. You’re also better off not having a lot of cash on you since it’s easy to spend without realizing how much you have spent. Spending should be part of a plan and not something you do because you have money available. Use your debit card whenever possible as it’s easy to track and scrutinize your spending. Lastly, stop carrying your credit cards if you have difficulty not using them.

Eliminate bad habits:

Some of them cost you a lot more money than you notice, like your daily visit to the coffee shop, smoking, or going to the movies every weekend with your family. It’s easy to not keep track of your money and takes an effort to pay attention to your spending. You have to decide what’s important to you. Is it important to retire with no more mortgage or other debt payments? Ask yourself how you are going to get there. You can start by listing the habits you have that are wasting money and put an end to them. Little expenses add up over time, and some of your small habits that don’t seem like they cost much each week could cost you tens of thousands or more in retirement income in the future.

Share the responsibility with your family:

Everyone in your home should understand and have a part in budgeting and following the budget. Let everyone in your household know what you are trying to achieve so they are supportive and understand why they can’t spend more. Show them how they can help by not wasting, and by planning before spending. Sit down with your spouse and make a plan for your spending and budgeting. Then you’ll want to check in every week to make sure you are staying on track, or decide how to get back on track if you happen to stumble temporarily. Arguments and disagreements over money are among the leading causes of divorce. Sticking to your budget can help relieve stress and could minimize or even prevent financial strain from taking its toll on your marriage and your family.

Pay down your debt:

If you don’t have a plan for your debt you need to create one now and start following it absolutely faithfully. When you’re struggling with debt, you may feel like it’s going to take forever to pay it off, and it usually will take several years if you have a mortgage. Over the last few years, retirement accounts have taken big hits and fallen considerably in some sectors. The stock market has proven that it cannot be depended on. One of the only ways to get a guaranteed return on investment comes from paying off your debts and not having to pay the interest on them anymore. Every time you pay off a debt that improves your cash flow at the same time. But it often takes years and you need to have the discipline to follow through every month.

Re-examine your latest spending and expenditures:

You want to review your spending every month to see your budgeting progress and to check for other areas to improve on. Continue to critique your statements and receipts to look for more opportunities to cut your spending. Think about taking lunch with you to save more money. Set up a carpool with a buddy or someone you work with. Make little cuts where you can to increase the amount of money you have to save, or put toward paying down your debt. Sticking to a budget is critical to paying off your debts and having no more mortgage payments.

Budgeting is essential to getting a handle on your finances and building up the retirement you want and deserve.

P.S. – Watch our short 2 minute NO MORE Mortgage video to learn more about our program.

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3. NO MORE Mortgage Tip – Are you keeping an eye on your spending?

Are you keeping an eye on your money and tracking what you spend and where? Somebody needs to, and if you aren’t doing it, who is? Does anyone else have a bigger stake in wiping out your debt and building the retirement you want and deserve than you?

Here is a list of things you should be doing to keep an eye on your spending. There are many more ideas than this, but here are some that you need to be doing now.

• Go through your last bank statement and write down what each charge was for. This can be an eye opening experience. Grab a cup of coffee or something to drink and go line by line. This exercise could save you money next month just by knowing where you seem to waste money without thinking about it.
• Group items together by making a note at the end of the item. Make groups for food, utilities, meals, clothes, etc. Then total up these different categories and see if any of the totals surprise you.
• Now that you may, or may not, be surprised at where your money has been going, ask yourself if there is something obvious that you can cut back on.
• Take a look at the bank statement and see how much you paid toward debt, like credit card bills. How does that feel?
• Now take another look and see how much money you put toward your savings. Anything there?
• Take another look and see if you put anything towards an emergency fund. Or is your emergency fund a credit card? We can’t do that. So if you don’t have an emergency fund that would cover your needs for at least a month you should start putting money into one and then go back to adding to your savings every month.
• Do you have any major purchases or costs coming up in the next 2 years? Are you putting any money away for them?
• Ask yourself if you are only paying the minimum payments on your credit cards. (The credit card company will happily let you do so for the next 30 years or so.)

Now this is an excellent exercise to learn a few things about your spending habits and you may very well find a few places where you can cut back and not spend so much money.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of what you should be doing and how to track your money. But it’s a good start to take a look at how much of your money is going out against what you have coming in.

Once you’ve done this you need to get a snapshot of how much it will cost to pay off all of your debt and how long that will take. You really need to know this if you want to make sure you are making wise decisions on your spending and your savings. Almost no one you know has a realistic number on how much they owe or when it will be paid off. To get it you have to figure in the interest on all of your debts along with the extra payments it will take to pay it off.

So here’s a secret you can take advantage of: NO MORE Mortgage will create an analysis of your debts for you that shows this and more, and you can get it for free. There is no cost and no obligation. Just free. All you have to do is ask. And you can order a free CD up on the left side of the page that will give you some great information on eliminating your debt.

You need to know how much debt you really have. Your statements don’t tell you, they just show the principle balance. So get your numbers for free and see where you really stand.

Watch this video of a NO MORE Mortgage team member below and then call us at 800.285.9102 and ask for a free debt analysis so you can make wise, informed decisions that will affect your future.

P.S. – Watch our short 2 minute NO MORE Mortgage video to learn more about our program.

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Let’s talk about a few problem areas and then we’ll look at how you can get a snapshot of how much you really owe so you can make some better informed decisions in regards to your finances. NO MORE Mortgage offers a free snapshot you can use to make those better decisions.

A common area many people have trouble with is overspending. It can be triggered by advertising, seeing something you want, influences from your friends, impulse buying, or stress induced “comfort buying.” In these cases, you are generally not thinking about where you are financially or when you’ll be able to pay it off. Consider that you may feel pressured to spend more, buy this or that, look a certain way, dress a certain way, or have certain things to fit in or feel like you are living the life you are supposed to. There are many triggers for spending, but they almost all lead back to “emotional” spending.

The next time you are buying something that you don’t absolutely need, ask yourself why you’re buying it and what led you to want to buy it. Do this every time you are buying something and look at what patterns show up and where the motivation to spend at that moment is coming from.

Often, buying something you impulsively want doesn’t feel like it’s going to be a problem. You think “I’ll buy it now and pay for it later.” The problem with that is you will often pay it off much later, having spent many times the original price in interest in the form of credit card payments. When that happens, your future is paying for it. The money you spend on your debt in one month could be worth thousands to you later in retirement after it has had time to build up.

We’re living in a fast paced, complex world where it’s hard to keep track of your money unless you spend some focused time on it. You have money spent on credit cards, ATM cards, department store cards, automatic debits, utility or other bills on automatic payment, written checks, cash withdrawals, dinner receipts, and other expenditures to keep track of. It’s not easy.

You’ve got credit cards in the land of easy credit and get offers for more every month. They entice you to use them with promises of extra miles, points, and rewards.

What your creditors don’t point out is that you will often pay back 2 to 3 times what you borrowed (especially on your mortgage) and that compounded interest is their friend and your enemy in this case. Also, your creditors give you a payment schedule designed to make them more money and stretch out your debt.

You didn’t learn about this in school or at home, so you need to get on top of your debt and reclaim your future now before it’s too late. One thing you need to understand is that when it comes to your retirement and building up enough to take care of you, there is such a thing as starting too late.

You may not have a plan yet because you don’t know where to start. The place to start is figuring out how much you are really going to pay out and how long it is going to take to pay off your debt. You can’t just look at your statements and add up the balances. You have to take into account the interest and amount of payments it will take.

To make this easier for you, NO MORE Mortgage offers a free analysis that will show you these numbers. There is no cost to you and no obligation. Do this for yourself. It’s vital that you know where you really stand.

Give us a call at 800.285.9102 and let us help you get started.

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2. Do you really know how much you owe on your debt?
3. Are your emotions affecting your spending and building your debt?

Most of us don’t realize how much our emotions are tied into our spending habits and our build up of debt (both of which eat away at our future by reducing how much we are contributing and building for retirement). Many of our clients at NO MORE Mortgage have felt the same way until they experienced the peace of mind that comes with being in control of your finances and having a solid plan in place.

Do you have a fear for your financial health lurking around in the back of your mind? It’s normal. Until you get a handle on your finances and your debt, knowing exactly where you stand and putting a plan in place, you’re living in the financial wilderness. And the wolves are waiting to pounce on your money and your future.

We’re all familiar with the term “comfort food” and often partake when fear, worry, or frustration are eating at us. For many people, the same can go for spending. They go out and spend when they feel stressed out or frustrated. Or they buy something on “impulse” without thinking about how it affects their bottom line and their future.

Fear, worry, and stress all create a climate for making bad choices and a lack of focus on what you should be doing and what you want for your future. And as you buy more of what you really don’t need, you’re robbing yourself of your future income for retirement by not contributing more, or even enough. Your emotions can lead you to become focused on today and trying to comfort yourself while you push your needs for tomorrow into the back of your mind. If you aren’t thinking about your future, it’s one less thing to be stressed about. So when are you going to think about your future?

A NO MORE Mortgage Financial Analysis will help you understand where you are financially.

Where do you feel you are right now financially? Are you treading water with no land in sight? Are you on a path where you think you’re heading in the right direction but aren’t really sure? Are you just winging it and hoping for the best? Or do you have a plan in place and know right where you are financially?

I’m going to guess that where you are today is not where you thought you would be if you had written it down 10 years ago. Most people haven’t made much progress in the last 2 years on paying down their debt and many have increased their debt.

If you’re not where you want to be, getting ahead of your debt and building your future, why aren’t you? Let’s look at a couple of the pitfalls or mistakes we make in managing our finances.

First of all, who do you listen to? Are you getting advice on your finances from your friends or family? They’re usually in the same financial situation that you are. We tend to spend our time with people that are a lot like us. So if they aren’t in a drastically better place than you are, why would you listen to them? You need to listen to people that are either much better off than you due to what they did themselves about their finances, or you need to listen to a financial professional with a track record.

What about the people on TV, talk shows, or the internet? Be careful there. You have to remember that many of the big personalities make a lot of money off of books, website subscriptions, advertising, and newsletters. They may not appear to be charging people for their “advice,” but they are getting paid a lot of money through other ways. Some of them give great advice and some of them really don’t. And it’s easy to get into information overload when you spend your time watching or listening to them since they have to cover many topics to appeal to a large audience.

Are you on the path to NO MORE Mortgage and financial security?

Another mistake that almost everyone makes is to not know how much money they really owe when you include the interest that you will pay out based on how you’ve actually been paying your bills. You can’t rely on looking at the balances due on your statements.

Fortunately, you can change the path you are on quite easily. You really need to find out how much you owe on all of your debt and how long it will take to pay off. Knowing this alone could help you make better decisions and could help you reduce unneeded spending.

Call for your complimentary NO MORE Mortgage Financial Analysis today.

We offer a free service at NO MORE Mortgage where we create a “no cost, no obligation” analysis of your debt that shows you not only how much money you will pay out on your debt, but how long it will take to pay it off based on how you pay your bills today. Our analysis also shows how much you could save in interest and how much sooner you could be completely debt free with our automated program that does the work for you.

Watch this short video on NO MORE Mortgage and then call us for your free analysis at 800-285-9102.

Thank you for visiting us at NO MORE Mortgage, where a debt free future can be yours today!

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3. Homeowners Clear All Debt Within 9 Years With Unique Debt Elimination Plan

Let’s look at the how each one comes into play in your quest to eliminate your debt and get back on track financially.

First of all, let’s ask why you may be considering debt settlement. This is the most important step as it tells you which path is best for you. Cash flow is our first comparison.

If you are cash flow negative, cannot cover your bills, and are headed towards losing your home, then you should talk to a bankruptcy attorney and ask about debt settlement and bankruptcy. In some cases, debt settlement is not going to help you and may hurt you more if you are headed into bankruptcy anyway. The attorney is a better place to start as many of the settlement “counselors” want to sign you up and may not be competent enough to give you the best advice.

If you can afford to pay your bills today, want to protect and improve your credit, and get on track to building a bigger and better retirement fund after becoming debt free, then read on and we’ll go over some other differences. Our program isn’t for someone who is cash flow negative. But we could do wonders for you if you are able to pay your bills today.

First, let’s go over why you hear so many ads today for debt settlement and how it is being touted as the “path to being debt free.” Debt Settlement is being advertised in much the same way the option arm mortgage was in years past. It has certain advantages for a small percentage of people, and is easy to sell. Through mass marketing and media advertising it is being offered to anyone who “qualifies” regardless of whether it’s a good choice for them.

Our next comparison is about the type of debt you can “eliminate.” Debt Settlement is typically targeted at someone with heavy credit card debt usually defined as “over $10,000.” Settlement companies target credit card debt because it is unsecured, so they can negotiate with the creditors. If it was secured debt, such as an auto, the creditor can simply take their asset (your car) back. So unsecured debt cannot help you with much of your debt that is secured, such as your home, your cars, and other physical property.

NO MORE Mortgage’s debt elimination plan is designed to help you with all of your debts, regardless of whether they are secured or unsecured. If it is a debt that is paid monthly, and can be paid off (unlike utility bills) our program could be ideal for you.

The next comparison has to do with your credit. Debt settlement can damage your credit harshly for at least 2 years and will likely continue to hurt you for much longer. The short term savings you may gain in settlement could easily cost you that and more over time as you will pay higher interest rates on any credit or lending you need after that. And that is if you can get credit after that for the first few years or more.

With our debt elimination program we don’t do any settlement nor do we contact your creditors. And our comprehensive debt analysis system generally accelerates the pay down of your debt by attacking revolving credit first, such as credit card debt. Revolving credit can make up 30-35% of your credit score. So as your revolving credit is being paid down your score is not only “not damaged,” but you could actually see your credit score improve faster than it would normally based on how you pay your bills today.

Our program does not harm your credit, and should improve it faster. Your credit score and history are used in determining not only whether to provide you with credit, but is often reviewed when considering someone for future employment and in other ways. Your credit score is becoming more important every year. You want to keep yours in the best shape possible.

Let’s compare where your money is going during the programs. With debt settlement, your money is collected and often held in an escrow account, where part of the money is being paid to the settlement company and the rest is held until there is enough to negotiate the first debt.

In our program your money is paid out directly to your creditors each month through our advanced bill pay system that does the work for you. Our system meets all of your obligations while making your payments according to your personalized analysis to save you the most time and money. We ensure on-time payments while working your plan for you. And your money is transferred and paid out to your creditors by a top rated financial institution that handles transfers for many of the country’s top banks.

We’ve helped thousands over the years to get on track to becoming debt free. This is a safe program that works, and does the work for you to ensure your success.

Contact us for a free CD that will further discuss our program; or better yet, call us and ask for a free debt analysis that will show you how much your debt will cost you and how long it will take to become debt free based on how you pay your bills today. It will compare and show you how much sooner you could be completely debt free and how much you could save if you choose to join the thousands that are already on this path.

Everyone should know how much their debt is going to really cost them and how long it will take to pay it off the way they are paying it today. Knowing where you really stand helps you make better decisions and can help you make better choices in your spending. Get your free analysis at no cost and with no obligation. That’s our gift to you for taking an important step and learning something 95% of your friends and family don’t know about their own finances.

You can fill in the form at the top left for a free CD or call us and get your free analysis at 1.800.598.1657

Your friends at NO MORE Mortgage

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Well, yes it is and no, it isn’t. Yes, at one moment in time a statement can show what you owe if you were to pay it off completely. And no, it isn’t, when you factor in interest payments over time.

That interest over time is what steals your future like the thief that it is. Your debt can rob you of hundreds of thousands of dollars you should have at retirement. Debt sneaks up on you and stretches the pain out slowly so you don’t notice how much it is costing you. Did you know that half way into a 30 year mortgage you can still owe 75% of the principle? We’ve seen credit cards that would stretch out to 40+ years, or even more, at the minimum payment.

Think about this for a minute. You pay your creditors back based on a schedule that they create, and they earn their living off of the interest that they charge you, along with extra fees and charges. So do you think they create their payment schedules with your best interest in mind? Is your money going towards building your future, or theirs?

What they know is that most people think about the balance on their statements and figure that’s about what they’ll pay back. What they don’t want you to know is that by utilizing a program like ours at NO MORE Mortgage, you could pay them back significantly less and save yourself a great deal of money. Our program creates a new payment schedule that meets your obligations with your creditors and pays them back up to 75% faster, allowing you to keep far more of your money and get out of debt that much sooner.

The creditors also know that most people won’t follow through with a debt elimination plan on their own, as they either don’t have the financial discipline or the time to work their plan, month in and month out, for the time it will take to get out of debt. That’s why our program does the work for you. We work to ensure that you are successful at eliminating your debt safely and wisely. Our program can often improve your credit faster than would normally happen too.

So, do you really know how much you owe on your debt, and how long it will take to pay it off based on how you’re paying your debts today? We can easily show you that and also compare that to how much you could save and when you could become debt free if you take advantage of our program. We offer a free debt analysis with no obligation that will show you all of this.

To make good decisions, you need good information. Knowing how much you really owe and how long it will take to pay it off has an impact that you will not soon forget. And it can influence your financial decisions for the better. Call NO MORE Mortgage and ask for a free debt analysis. It doesn’t take long once you give us the info we need to run your analysis. And we don’t need any information that would put your identity at risk. You can ask for our free audio CD using the form on the left side of the page too. It has some great information on it that could save you a lot of money.

Give us a call and let us help you get on track to a debt free future with less stress and more financial security. We’re at (888) 239-3765.

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Credit card companies are socking it to consumers left and right. They’re hiking interest rates to as much as 36% and doubling minimum monthly payments, frustrating customers who are already cash-strapped and credit-crunched. In an effort to curb these abusive practices, President Obama signed into law a credit card reform act in May that’s rolling out in three parts over 12 months. At the same time, credit card companies have been hard at work coming up with new ways to boost profits while sidestepping the reforms. “Card issuers are making sure they can make up the lost money in new ways,” said Bill Hardekopf of Lowcards.com, a research company funded by a commercial debt collector. The first part of the law, which took effect in August, requires banks to give customers more notice ahead of major changes to their accounts, like rate hikes. Starting in February, limits will be imposed on when issuers can raise rates on existing card balances, and on new cards. In August 2010 some credit card penalty fees will be will reined in. But no legislation can fully shield consumers from the credit card industry’s ongoing efforts to boost the bottom line. The worst part? “All of these hikes are taking place simply because they can,” Hardekopf said.

1) RATE HIKES: Interest rates are out of this world. “They’ve increased steadily over the past 5 years, and in general are higher than they’ve ever been,” said Josh Frank, senior researcher at the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), who says he’s seen annual percentage rates as high as 36%. No current laws cap credit card interest rates, according to Pamela Banks of Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, so technically the sky’s the limit. But the CARD act will help curb abusive practices. As of February, issuers won’t be able to arbitrarily raise rates on existing balances. But cardholders will still be subject to interest hikes for late payments and various other infractions. And card companies will be able to raise their rates as high as they want, whenever they want, on future purchases even after the reform bill kicks in completely. The act will bring protections for new customers; issuers will no longer be able to hike rates on new accounts in the first 12 months, unless the borrower is delinquent by more than 60 days or the increase is stated in the contract. Keven Vallance recently saw the rate on his Sears card increase from 9.99% to 13.99% for no apparent reason. When Vallance called Sears Credit, which is owned by Citibank, a rep told him every cardholder’s rate is increasing by 4%. Citi spokesman Samuel Wang said in an email that the company has “adjusted pricing and card terms for some customers as part of our regular account reviews.” Consumer outrage is boiling over. Last month, a disgruntled Bank of America customer posted a YouTube video complaining her bank “jacked up my interest rate to a whopping 30% APR.” Her rant went viral, and BofA dropped her rate back to its original 12.99%.

2) NEW FEES: Fees aren’t just rising -they’re multiplying. Cardholders are getting slapped with fees they’ve never seen before. The hitch: New laws can address only existing fees and business practices; they can’t predict what credit card companies will do in the future. “Theoretically, they could create a fee for names that begin with ‘J,’” said Lowcards.com’s Hardekopf. In reality, customers are seeing new annual fees, inactivity charges and more. Not of these charges are unheard of, but many fees that were unusual are becoming commonplace. Earlier this month, for instance, some Bank of America customers were shocked to learn that their no-fee credit cards would be subject to a new annual fee. BofA spokeswoman Betty Riess said the fees are part of a company test that affects 0.5% of all consumer accounts, and that the fees range from $29$99. The charges will be levied in February, and Riess said customers were chosen “based on risk and profitability” but have the option to reject the fees by canceling their accounts. Fifth Third Bank recently introduced a $19 inactivity fee for customers who don’t charge anything for 12 months, and Citibank is hitting some consumers with a fee if they put less than $2,400 on their card annually. To address this problem, House Financial Services Committee Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has proposed a new regulatory body, the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, which would approve new credit card fees. While the House Financial Service Committee approved the agency, it remains to be seen whether legislation will pass; lawmakers are battling over this and other reform proposals floating around Washington.

3) HIGHER MINIMUM MONTHLY PAYMENTS: Banks are also demanding bigger and bigger minimum payments. Chase has bumped up the minimum payment for some consumers to 5% of the monthly balance from 2%. For someone who carries a $5,000 balance, that means the monthly payment of $100 skyrockets to $250 -a whopping 150% increase. Consumer Union’s Pamela Banks says her organization has compiled a wealth of anecdotal evidence that indicates such increases in minimum monthly payments are widespread. “This is making payments virtually impossible for some people,” she said. “It’s throwing people off when they were living on a tight budget anyway.” Some good news is on the way, however. After February, card companies won’t be able to increase monthly minimum payments by more than 100%. For example, a bank cannot increase a 2% minimum payment to any higher than 4%. And this so-called “doubling” will be allowed only once during the life of the card.

4) FEWER REWARDS: Say goodbye to beach vacations and new iPods just for swiping your card. Rewards programs have been enticing shoppers to charge a purchase rather than paying cash -but card issuers are cutting back those perks. “This is happening with a significant amount of cards,” Hardekopf said, adding that many consumers are now receiving 1% cash back instead of the 2% or 3% they once enjoyed. American Express recently cut its Blue Card’s cash back policy from 1.5% to 1.25%. And all AmEx customers who make a late payment will no longer accrue points on their purchases -however, those points can be reinstated with a $29 fee.

5) SLASHED CREDIT LIMITS AND CANCELED ACCOUNTS: Without so much as a call from the bank, some customers are learning their credit limits have been slashed by as much as 75%, or that their accounts have been closed altogether, according to the Center for Responsible Lending’s Josh Frank. Citibank recently closed what a spokesman called a “limited number” of MasterCard gas cards co-branded with Citgo, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and Shell. “People go to make a purchase, and they find out about these huge changes only when they’re denied,” Frank said. “It’s a shock, and it’s been happening a lot.” Even cardholders who don’t charge anything might find their accounts abruptly closed, Frank said. With credit losses at a record high, companies see inactive cards as a red flag and close the accounts to avoid the worry of future writedowns. “Usually cardholders have this credit line available for an emergency, for this kind of current economic situation,” Frank said. “But now they’re turning to it when they need it, and it’s gone.”

What’s a cardholder to do? Consumers must pay close attention to the terms of their contracts, staying alert to any changes. “It’s boring reading, and it can be hard to understand, but that’s where everything is spelled out,” said Lowcards.com’s Hardekopf. Of course, while there are laws aimed at helping consumers, legislation can’t do it all. “As we close the loopholes on some things, they open up elsewhere,” said Consumer Union’s Banks. “Reform acts don’t cover everything, and cardholders have to watch out for their own accounts.” And if you don’t like your credit card’s new terms? “Shop around -you are not married to your card,” Hardekopf said. “It’s a partnership, not a lifelong contract.”

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“I said to them, ‘You’re giving me the option to either shoot myself in the foot or shoot myself in the hand. That’s just unacceptable,’” said Skinner, from Greenville, S.C. She holds only two credit cards, so the hit to her credit score from closing one would be significant. “What am I supposed to do?” she wondered. It’s a frequent question for American consumers these days. Half of all account holders say they’ve been hit either with a higher rate or a lower limit in recent months. While consumers are customarily given the choice to decline the new terms and close the account, doing so flies in the face of all standard advice from personal finance experts because closing credit cards usually has a negative impact on credit scores. “Credit utilization” is one of five important factors used to determine a consumer’s score. Closing a card with a $10,000 limit means the consumer has $10,000 less in credit. If that consumer owes $5,000 on a second card with a $10,000 limit, their utilization just shot from 25 to 50 percent, a credit score killer.

So which bad choice is right for Skinner and other consumers facing the same conundrum? The answer is perhaps even more maddening than the question: “It depends” and “there’s no surefire way to know ahead of time.” But there are some clear guidelines that can help. For starters, closing an account will never help your credit score, despite persistent mythology to the contrary. The only time closing a credit card account is a good idea is when keeping it open will do even more damage than the lowered credit score. No one can say precisely how much closing a credit card account will hurt your credit score -too many other dynamic factors go into calculating the number. Fair Isaac, which owns the credit score formula, says the impact can range from zero points to “dozens of points,” according to spokesman Chris Groppa.

Dozens of points doesn’t sounds so bad, right? Wrong, says Credit.com’s John Ulzheimer, himself a former Fair Isaac employee. “The amount of their score drop isn’t as important as whether or not they cross the lines between approved and declined, and better rate or not as good of a rate,” he said. “Example: If my score goes from 685 to 675 then that’s only 10 points so no big deal, right? But what if (the consumer) applied for a car loan and the lender offered 7.9 percent above 680 and 9.9 percent for someone below 680. Then the 10 points become very meaningful. This isn’t unrealistic as all lenders use score-tiered decision tables.” In other words, if you are planning to buy a house or a car in the next month or two, closing a credit card is a terrible idea -even if your interest rate is about to skyrocket. But outside of that backed-into-a-corner situation, consumers should feel comfortable exercising their right to fire their credit card company and accept the consequences. “People shouldn’t let worry over FICO scores rule their lives,” Groppa said.

For starters, a higher rate will cost money today for anyone who doesn’t pay their balance in full. A credit score drop of 20 points or so might cost you money tomorrow. But you don’t know how much, and you don’t know how long the credit score hit will last. It’s smart to take the sure savings today and close the card. There are strategies for minimizing the negative impact once you do so. First, carrying a low balance or paying off your cards is the best insurance against the penalty of closing a card. If a consumer closes a card and loses $10,000 in available credit, but pays off $10,000 in debt on other cards, the available credit would remain equal and there would be no or minimal impact on a credit score, he said. Of course, that’s not always realistic. A second route to a similar result is to open new credit cards with limits that replace the lost credit.

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In August, prices rose in 17 of 20 cities. Only Charlotte, Cleveland and Las Vegas recorded month-to-month declines. In the past year, prices are down 11.3% in the 20 cities. Prices in all 20 cities were lower in August 2009 than in August 2008, but in general, year-over-year declines have lessened. “We do want to remind people of the upcoming expiration of the federal first-time buyer’s tax credit in November and anticipated higher unemployment rates through year-end,” said David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P. “Both may have a dampening effect on home prices.”

Economists at Goldman Sachs said they expect a further 5% to 10% decline in prices. Falling values have been a major factor contributing to the chaos in the global economy, because financial institutions made too many bad bets that U.S. home prices would never fall. Millions of homeowners have found themselves owing more on their house than it is worth. They cannot sell for what they owe, and they cannot refinance their home loans. Nor can they borrow against their home to finance their consumption. Trillions of dollars of wealth have evaporated. Rising unemployment is now driving foreclosures. Another wave of foreclosures from interest-payment-only mortgages is anticipated, beginning in spring 2010.

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