Waiting and hoping the situation will improve will, in fact, only make it worse. The more time you can’t pay your debts the more points are taken off your credit record, the closer your get to bankruptcy, and a downward spiral begins.

Americans are more in debt than ever before. With the painful recession many of us had to go further into debt just to make ends meet. That doesn’t make you a bad person – you did what you had to do to keep your head above water. There is no shame in asking for help in getting out of this mess.

The folks at Debt Recovery System can work with your creditors to get an affordable payment plan worked out. They can even negotiate to get your debt reduced significantly.

You can stop those nasty collector calls and even eliminate up to 60% of your debt now. You can reduce your monthly credit card bills. And most importantly, you can avoid bankruptcy and save thousands. It’s time to get a plan together to rid yourself of unsecured debt.

Going it alone against massive banks and credit card companies is not the right step to take. Debt specialists like Debt Recovery System work with thousands of clients and have the clout to get you big savings. They know the industry inside and out – specifically, which creditors need cash now and would be willing to cut a deal.

They can pool your debt with other clients’ debt to act as leverage with the creditors. While you may have $10,000 in debt, by working with other clients credit counselors manage millions of dollars in debt. If you were a credit card company which would you listen to: an individual with just $10,000 in debts, or a credit counseling company that aggregates millions of dollars in debt together?

Start getting out of debt today. Contact Debt Recovery System for a free consultation. You simply fill out a short one page form and the folks at Debt Recovery System will contact you – there is no obligation. You have nothing to lose but your debt burden.

Get Out of Debt Today with Debt Recovery System

We all run into financial emergencies from time to time. Sometime’s it’s a bounced check or a credit card bill that’s due. Other times it’s a medical bill or an unexpected car repair bill. Whatever the reason, payday loans can be a huge help if you are in a financial bind.

When choosing a payday loan provider it’s important to consider how simple the service is to use, how difficult is it to quality for a loan, and how fast you will get your money. Zap Payday stands out in each of these areas.

The application process is easy. There are a simple two-step online application that takes just minutes to fill out. Unlike some other cash advance services, Zap Payday does not require you to fax documents, which for many of us is a real time waster.

Zap Payday has the highest online approval rates and finds you the highest loan amount with the lowest interest rate available. If you are concerned with not being approved for a loan, this service is for you. Four out of five people who apply are approved. You can get approved for a cash advance in under 90 seconds.

When you get approved you are connect directly to a lender who can provide cash in less than 24 hours. Many of the lenders they work with can even wire as much as $2500 to you in less than an hour, so if you need the cash right away Zap Payday can be a life saver.

Instant payday loans are usually due on your next payday which could be between 8 and 25 days away. Once you receive your loan you can choose to pay it all off in full or pay down the balance in installments. In some cases you can even get a loan extension if you need to extend your payment.

If you have bad credit and still need a payday loan, don’t despair. Zap Payday’s flexible lenders will work with you even if you have been turned down by other lenders.

We hope this Zap Payday review was helpful. We have seen a number of instant payday services on the market, but Zap Payday ranks amongst the highest in terms of use of use, ability to get you approved, and speed of getting you the money you need.

Get an Instant Payday Loan at Zap Payday Now

If money is the root of all evil, then credit card debt must be its close cousin. In these troubled economic times who isn’t in debt? If you’re having trouble paying your credit cards every month and are looking for a counselor with Christian financial values who can help, then Christian Debt Trust is for you.

This Christian Debt Trust review will focus on what makes them different from other credit counselors and what types of debt solutions they offer. The company was established to help good people like yourself end the destructive cycle of credit card debt, which can break your spirit as much as your wallet. Their mission is to educate you about debt and show you the many options available if you owe more than you can pay.

Credit card companies have built a trillion dollar industry by recognizing one simple fact: the average consumer spends 10% more than their income each year. When it’s you versus the credit card companies, you need someone in your corner and that’s where Christian Debt Trust comes in. All you need to do is complete a simple form and one of their counselors will contact you with a no-obligation debt consultation based on Christian financial values.

Get Your Free Christian Debt Trust Consultation Now

When you use a professional debt settlement company to negotiate your debts they have working relationships with your creditors and can get volume discounts and better leverage than you could get on your own, thanks to the large number of accounts they manage. The folks at Christian Debt Trust track current trends in the industry which gives them insight into which creditors are in need of cash and may be more flexible on their repayments. Having a professional on your side really does make all the difference.

You have probably seen countless ads offer to get you out of debt immediately. What makes Christian Debt Trust different is that they take a realistic view of your situation. If it’s taken you several years to get into debt, it could take awhile to get out of it – they won’t offer quick fixes or easy solutions. It has been written that “Beautiful Are The Most Difficult Things” and the counselors from Christian Debt Trust can help you through this difficult – but ultimately rewarding – process.

There is no obligation to use any of the company’s services when filling out the application. You will be contacted by trained professionals in a non-pressure manner to review your current financial situation and offer a path to a more enlightened future. At that time you can make the decision about whether you want to continue.

Christian Debt Trust has helped thousands of people before you live happier, more rewarding ives. Imagine the feeling of freedom you’ll feel once you are debt free.

Best of luck to you and God Bless. Remember, God helps those who help themselves.

Get Your Free Christian Debt Trust Consultation Now

Over the course of 13 seasons in the NBA, basketball star Antoine Walker of the Boston Celtics made a mind-numbing $110 million. Now Walker is practically broke. How did a renowned star blow through so much money in such a short time? ESPN’s interview with Walker provides the sad story.

Walker’s outsized spending was legendary in a league where high rollers are the norm. Think racks of custom-tailored suits, a driveway littered with Bentleys and Hummers, and mansions for himself and his family.

Add to that Walker’s entourage of 8 or 9 buddies who would travel the world with him in high style. Walker blew $2.5 million on a Chicago mansion for his mother with an indoor pool and – count ‘em – 10 bathrooms. Another $3.1 million went for a Miami home and yet another $4.1 million went for a downtown Chicago condo, both of which are now for sale.

And then there was the gambling. He would regulalry play blackjack for a couple of thousand dollars a hand. He finally surrendered to authorities in South Lake Tahoe for bouncing checks totaling $1 million at Harrah’s Casino.

With all that spending came numerous creditors including his former agent who won almost $600,000 from Walker for unpaid fees. To compound Walker’s woes, a $10 million real estate investmen in Chicago is in the process of going south.

If there is a moral to be had from the sad tale of Antoine Walker it is this: how you spend your money is just as important as how much money you make. Unfortunately for Antoine, he found out the hard way.

The Bottom Line: no matter how much money you make, always be careful with how you spend and invest it.

photo credit: Keith Allison

While interest rates are at historic lows, if you’ve glanced at your credit card statement recently you’ve probably noticed that low rates have not come to consumer borrowing. In fact, most banks still charge sky-high interest rates for carrying a balance from month to month.

If you are one of the many consumers who has credit card debt, the new Promise Visa card from PenFed is an excellent choice. Unlike other banks who offer low teaser rates that expire in six months, PenFed’s introductory interest rate of 7.49 percent lasts a full three years. Even after that initial three year period, the interest rate only increases to Prime Rate plus 6.74 percent. At today’s rates that would be 9.99 percent – much better than most other banks.

The only area where you’ll really get dinged with a high rate is if you get a cash advance. The rate for advances is 17.99 percent, rather than the lower introductory rate for regular balances.

In addition to low interest rates, the PenFed Promise credit card also comes with no fees which includes no balance transfer fees, no cash advance fees, no annual fees, no over-the-limit fees, and for those who travel abroad no currency conversion fees.

While there are no late fees, if you regularly pay late or skip bills you’ll get a warning from PenFed. If you continue to be delinquent after that they will cut you off. Also, Promise Visa cardholders must subscribe to PenFed’s e-statement service.

PenFed is not a bank, but rather is the Pentagon Federal Credit Union, and you’ll need to become a member to get the Promise Visa. If you’re a member of the U.S. armed forces it’s free to join the credit union; if not, it’ll cost you $20 to join the National Military Family Association which makes you eligible to join PenFed.

While the Promise Visa doesn’t have a rewards plan like free miles, the low interest rate more than makes up for this. Overall, this is one of the best no-frills cards out there for consumers who regularly carry a balance on their credit cards.

If you have been looking at your checking account or money market statements recently you may have noticed an eye-opening number: zero. That’s the yield that many banks are offering to checking or money market customers – yes, that’s a 0.0% return for giving your money to the bank.

One of the best checking account deals I have seen recently comes from The Provident Bank which offers its “free smart checking” account. While this account may not be for everyone, if you fit the requirements it can be a very good deal.

At the time of writing The Provident Bank was offering a yield of 3.26% APR for up to $25,000. That’s a whole lot better than even the most aggressive 2 year CD rates and unlike CDs your money isn’t locked in for a specified period. Provident is paying 0.75% on the portion of your account balance greater than $25,000, which is still pretty good.

There are other things to like about the account: Provident will refund ATM fees from other banks, it provides online bill bay services, and the account is free as long as you meet the requirements.

Speaking of requirements, to get the benefits described you will have to meet three requirements each statement period:

• Use your Provident Bank debit card at least 10 times per month
• Receive one direct deposit or process one automatic ACH debit per month
• Enroll in online banking and receive e-statements

So what happens if you fail to meet one of these requirements in a month? The good part is that you’ll still enjoy free checking. The downside is that the yield goes down to 0.25% on your entire balance. That’s still better than the 0.0% yield most of us are seeing on our current accounts, but obviously not as stellar as the 3.26% you’ll get if you meet the requirements each month.

Now those requirements might be tough for some people to pull off and if that’s the case you can probably find a better deal somewhere else. But if you regularly use your debit card, get direct deposit, and don’t mind foregoing paper statements, the Provident Bank “free smart checking” program is the best to come around in quite while.

You can get more information on the program here.

Tired of getting zapped with a $35 overdraft fee when you use your debit card? You may be in luck – some of the nation’s largest banks are finally taking steps to do away with overdraft charges.

Starting this summer Bank of America – the country’s largest bank and biggest debit card issuer – will decline purchases that overdraw a customer’s bank account. In the past, B of A would allow such purchases to go through, only to saddle the customer with overdraft fees that were often more than the original purchase itself.

Under the new policy, Bank of America will inform customers who overdraw their account that they will have to pay an overdraft fee before allowing them to withdraw more money from an ATM. Not surprisingly, most consumers will choose not to incur those charges.

While this might sound like a small change, it amount to big money for the banks. The nation’s commercial banks made a whopping $38 billion from overdraft and insufficient fund fees last year. Over the last ten years these fees have become an increasingly important source of revenue for banks as customers have started to use debit cards for a wide variety of purchases including monthly bills.

The overdraft protection plans being marketed by the banks are different than the less controversial method of automatically moving funds from your savings account to your checking account to cover an overdrawn check.

The Federal Reserve has stepped in and warned banks that they can no longer automatically enroll their customers in overdraft protection schemes. On July 1, 2010 banks must start to get customers to opt-in to overdraft plans before charging any fees.

Given the huge dollars involved, many banks have begun large scale marketing campaigns to convince customers to sign up. The New York Times has reported that banks like Chase have been sending out aggressive letters to customers warning them of dire consequences if they don’t agree to an overdraft protection plan.

A 2008 study by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation found that 93 percent of overdraft fees came from just 14 percent of customers who exceeded their balances at least five times a year. If you are one of these people you can expect a full court press from your bank to opt-in to an overdraft protection plan.

Here’s the bottom line: if you want to save money you should decline to opt-in to an overdraft protection plan offered by your bank. Instead, if you get overdrawn simply allow your purchase to be declined and top up your account later. Having the convenience of paying by debit card just isn’t worth the extra overdraft fees associated with it.

Why potentially pay $35 in overdraft fees for a $1 pack of gum? Just say no to overdraft protection.

Places to Find a Money Order

There are a wide variety of businesses which offer money orders for sale. The fees associated with the money order can vary according to a variety of things like the size of the money order; the issuer’s handling fees and the current market conditions. Some places that offer money orders include:

-       gas stations

-       check cashing companies

-       post offices

-       banks

-       credit unions

-       shipping and copying services

-       online quote tools

-       payday loan companies

There are even a variety of on-line only money order providers which are great if you want speed and convenience when dealing with money orders. They are also extremely useful if you are sending money to another country. They do the conversion for you and typically offer a regular service and an express delivery service. Remember to shop around for the best price though.

Ways to Keep Your Money Orders Safe

It is important to keep your cheap money orders safe once you buy them. They can easily be stolen, especially blank ones, and used before you even realize that they are gone. Money orders are valuable pieces of currency and you must be careful with them and take certain precautions with them.

-       Fill them out immediately upon buying them

-       Treat them as you would cash

-       Keep them in a safe place

-       Do not carry them with you unless you need to

Shop Around for Cheap Money Orders

In order to make sure that you are not being taken for a ride with your money order, it pays to shop around. You can save yourself quite a bit of money and keep more of your hard-earned cash in your pocket, by finding a better deal on money orders. Therefore you should get a variety of prices on money orders in your area before making a decision about which money order provider to use.

Going through the process of comparing different cards is easy using credit card comparison sites. Most of these types of websites allow you to zero in on a specific type of credit card and then compare all the available options.

For example, if you are looking for prepaid credit cards there are numerous factors to take into consideration. What is the minimum balance required? What are the fees associated with setting up an account? Do you get rewards points with the card? A good credit card comparison site will allow you to view a matrix of all the cards available within this category so that you can see exactly which combination of options is right for you.

Almost all credit card comparison sites allow you to apply for the card directly from their website. You are linked to the issuing bank’s site where you will out an online application and are usually approved within a few weeks.

Credit card comparison sites can be especially useful when you are searching for a low or no interest card. Banks are constantly changing their terms and “teaser rates”, so being able to see the very latest offerings from a wide variety of lenders is particularly important. With just a few minutes of comparison shopping you can find a card that will provide you with the lowest interest rate for the longest period of time.

Like any debt you consider taking on, think carefully about whether you really need another credit card. Can you handle additional debt? If there is a low teaser rate will you be able to pay off your balance before the higher rate kicks in? Comparing credit cards is only the first step. The second, and equally important step, is making sure that the card you select is the right one for you.

As their name suggests, 60 Minute Payday can actually put you in touch with lenders who can provide you with much needed cash in under an hour. If time is of the essence, this service is definitely for you.

Unlike with other services we review, 60 Minute Payday does not require a credit check and, to make things easier, does not even require you to fax over any information. This is a huge benefit if you do not have easy access to a fax machine and can really speed up the process.

No 60 Minute Payday review would be complete without mentioning the website. The site is cleanly laid out and easy to get around. On the home page of 60minutepayday.com there is a simple form that asks for how much money you need, your email address, your name, date of birth, and whether you have a bank account. You can get any amount between $100 and $1500 in as fast as an hour.

Of course, you probably want to know what the fees are for this service, and that is perhaps the biggest knock against this type of service. Fees for loans vary for the amount of the loan and the length of the loan’s term. After filling out the online form and receiving instant approval you will be presented with a loan offer and the amount of fees associated with it. So there is no way to know how much you will be paying until you go through the process of applying.

It is important to note in this 60 Minute Payday review that this website is not a lender and does not make cash advances or credit decisions. Instead, they put you in touch with lenders who provide you with the money. The exact deal you strike with the lender is between you and them.

Where the real value of this service comes in is by reviewing your application and matching you with just the right lender. Since speed is so important for cash advance services, why waste time applying to lots of lenders who might not ever lend you money. With 60 Minute Payday you know you will be matched with the right lender for you needs, saving you hours.

Overall, 60 Minute Payday is one of the best and quickest cash advance services we have seen. The downside of not knowing the exact fee you will pay ahead of time is far outweighed by the quickness and ease of use of the service.

Our 60 Minute Payday Review: Highly recommended.

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