Free Quick and Easy Money Saving Tips ? Part 1 - Debt-Relief

Free Quick and Easy Money Saving Tips - Part 1

With the high cost of gasoline and the amount of money needed to lead a
comfortable life slowly increasing many consumers may be worried about how
to make ends meet. Fortunately there are lots of ways to save money in a
variety of areas. Using any of the 5 tips outlined below will leave a
little something extra in your bank account at the end of month and
eventually could influence the quality of lifestyle you lead.

Tip Number 1 - If you want to find out whether or not your home is wasting
any of your money you can have a home energy audit done. This simple
procedure can identify ways to save up to hundreds of dollars a year on
home heating (and air conditioning). In some cases your utility company
will conduct an audit for free.

Tip Number 2 - In many cases your utility bill can be adjusted in your
favor simply by performing your regular chores at a different time of the
day. Ask your utility company if they offer discount rates during non-peak
usage hours. If they do modify your current routine or schedule in order
to take advantage of lower rates. For instance instead of doing laundry
during the day wash your clothes at night after 9:00 pm if your electrical
company offers cheaper rates at that time.

Tip Number 3 - Your phone bill is another easy target when it comes to
looking for ways to save money. Once a year, review your phone bills for
the previous three months to see what local, local toll, long distance,
and international calls you normally make. Write these figures down and
then call several phone companies, which provide service in your area.
Using the phone usage amounts you previously wrote down compare what these
other providers offer in order to find the cheapest calling plan that
meets your needs.

Another popular money saving alternative is a bundled package. A bundled
package offers local, local toll and long distance, and possibly other
services at a better rate then you would normally pay separately. Be sure
to also check your phone bill to see if you have optional calling features
or additional services, such as inside wire maintenance, that you don't
need. Every non-essential option you drop could save you $30 or more each
year.

Tip Number 4 - When making your phone rate comparison as outlined in tip
number 3 make a mental note to identify if you make very few toll or long
distance calls. If so then avoid calling plans with monthly fees or
minimums. Another option would be to disconnect your phone service
altogether and use dial around services such as 10-10 numbers or prepaid
phone cards for your calls. When shopping for dial around service, look
for fees, call minimum, and per minute rates. Treat prepaid cards as cash
and find out if there is an expiration date.

Tip Number 5 - If you make a large amount of your phone calls away from
your home make sure to shop around to find the best deal on cell phones
and calling cards. Make sure to compare per minute rates and surcharges
for cell phones, prepaid phone cards, and calling card plans to find how
to save the most money. Cell phone plans offer so many options that
failure to compare and find the best one that closely matches your calling
patterns is like throwing money down the toilet.

These 5 quick tips could easily save you several hundred dollars a year,
which you could put to better use in a savings program or to pay off
higher interest loans and other bills.

Timothy Gorman is a successful webmaster and publisher of
Best-Free-Insurance-Quotes.com. He provides insurance information and
offers discount auto, life and home insurance that you can research in
your pajamas on his website.

Other websites operated by Tim: Cellular-Phone-Solutions.com - Free
information and resources regarding cell phones and cell phone plans.

Military-Loans-Online.com - Which provides free money saving loan quotes
on all of your loan needs to include home equity loan information.

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Five Major Ways to Save Money - Debt-Relief

Five Major Ways to Save Money

There are two main roads to improving your personal finances: increasing
income, and cutting costs.

Increasing income is the harder road to travel. After all, you can't
always get a raise or a new job when you need one.

But cutting costs, that's a different story!

You're in complete control in this area. And all it takes is some
imagination and discipline-both of which are free.

Below are five major ways to save money in the basic areas of food,
shelter, clothing and transportation. They're major expenses in your life
- and places for major savings.

1. Home Cooking

Food is a major expense in everyone's budget.

But, in today's convenience food society, it's easy to overlook how much
money can be saved by cooking meals at home. Plus, it's fun, creative, and
healthier to make your own meals.

The key is to cook in "bulk" to stretch the food you buy over several
meals.

If you're a busy person with little time to spare, a good investment is a
slow cooker (or crock pot). Generally, they run from $20 to $80, depending
on the size.

With a slow cooker, you can set aside some time on the weekend to cook
stews, soups, and other delicious meals that can be frozen for weekday use.

After a hard day at work, all you have to do is pop the meal in the
microwave!

More than likely, you'll enjoy an additional benefit - your taste buds
will wake up from mass produced food and thank you for the delicious taste
of a home-cooked meal!

2. Drive less, exercise more

Is owning a car expensive?

You already know the answer to that question, don't you?

Gas, maintenance, insurance costs. Plus the mental aggravation of being
caught in traffic jams!

Why not carpool or take public transportation-the bus, train, or light
rail?

Or, if you live close to work, walk or bike. You'll lose weight, lower
your blood pressure, and see the world at a slower pace.

And, oh yes, you'll save a couple of thousand dollars in the process.

3. Cut housing costs

This is an easy and fun way to cut costs.

Instead of paying a contractor to come in to make changes or repairs, make
them yourself.

Local hardware stores love your business and will help you with tips and
tricks on home repair.

Also, do your own decorating and painting. You get two benefits by doing
your own changes and repairs - you get the pride of accomplishment and you
save money.

4. Cut clothing costs

This can be another major area of expenses, especially if you have a
family.

So, try buying used clothing... dry clothes on the clothes line instead of
in a dryer... learn how to mend clothes...

...well, you get the idea!

5. Quit your addictions

Okay, so this is not really an easy category, but if you enjoy cigarettes
and a drink, this is where you can realize some major savings.

Assume you're spending $5.00 a day on cigarettes. Added up over a year,
that's an expense of $1825.

As for liquor or wine, we all know how expensive that is.

Assume you buy one bottle a week at $10 to share with family members or
friends. That's $520 a year.

Add both amounts up, and the total is $2,345!

That's money that could be paying down your debt or going into savings.

And don't forget the health benefits.

You probably have many other ideas on how to save money in the five areas.

If it seems hard at times to cut costs in these places, remember one thing
- you're on the road to keeping more of your money in your own pocket!

As the old saying goes: "Money saved is as good as money earned".

About The Author

Paul Davis writes for Debt Elimination 4U, showing ordinary people how to
get out of debt and stay out! Visit the site at:
http://debt-elimination-4u.com

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What the Mail on Sunday Said - Debt-Relief

What the Mail on Sunday Said

Anyone considering Bankruptcy may have experienced fear after reading an
article written in The Mail on Sunday with the headline "Bankruptcy cheats
face crackdown". But, how much of what was written was in context of the
reality of Bankruptcy as it is today?

The article implied that since The Enterprise Act 2002 the rise in the
number of people going bankrupt was due to them using the Bankruptcy route
as a "Get out of jail free card". The assumption being that The Enterprise
Act 2002 made bankruptcy an easy option. However, the writer didn't take
into consideration the actions the DTI have taken to raise financial
awareness and to ensure better advice is given regarding people's options
when faced with personal debt issues.

The article gave the impression that one of the restrictions of bankruptcy
was that you could not open a bank account until you are discharged from
bankruptcy. However, there are infact 40 basic bank accounts, half of
which will allow an undischarged bankrupt to open an account. This in
itself indicates the writer of the article is not fully aware of the
effect of bankruptcy, therefore giving the impression that the article
could possibly be the result of poor research.

The Enterprise Act 2002 (bought into force in April 2004) was made to give
honest people a fresh start in life, which would be free from the stress
of debt. Not for the purpose of encouraging people to "use insolvency as a
way of shaking off creditors". The writer implied that the provision,
which allows the IP to request a restriction order on a bankrupt, is
hardly used. Perhaps this is because, people who lodge petitions for
bankruptcy have not gone out to get themselves into huge amounts of debt
and are genuinely unable to repay their debt due to unforeseen
circumstances, rather than fraud, recklessness or dishonesty.

If an Insolvency Practitioner suspects fraudulent or criminal behaviour,
they will apply for a Bankruptcy Restriction Order (BRO) for the court to
assess and decide what action to take.

The writer also states that "New" Government proposals due out in the next
few days will make it easier for creditors to set up plans for repayments,
an "Individual Voluntary Arrangement". Individual Voluntary Arrangements
(IVA's) have infact been around since the 1986 Insolvency Act and used by
employees and self employed people.

This only further questions the credibility of the writer and The Mail on
Sunday for publishing such an article.

What the writer also doesn't realise is, people who have failed IVA's or
not able to get an IVA add to the percentage of people petitioning for
bankruptcy.

The worry that this article will have placed on people is not only
unnecessary, but also misleading. The reduction in the terms of discharge
from bankruptcy is supposed to be a positive change in The Enterprise Act
2002, not a negative one as implied in this article.

If you have sought advice, and you know you have no other option than to
take the bankruptcy route then you should not be put off. "Nothing has
changed", as Simon Wiggins of Ask the Expert informed one of his posters
who read the article and was concerned by it.

If you would like further advice regarding your financial situation FCL
Debt Clinic offer free debt advice which will enable you to see what your
options are regarding resolving your debt problems.

Nicola Bullimore has been working with people regarding debt issues for a
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Drowning in Debt? Tips and Tricks for Getting Out of Hot Water with Creditors - Debt-Relief

Drowning in Debt? Tips and Tricks for Getting Out of Hot Water with
Creditors

Do you, like millions of other Americans, feel like you're sinking in an
ocean of credit card debt? Well, fear not--there are many options for
reducing your debt way before you have to be concerned about receiving
notices or daunting telephone calls from debt collectors. The important
thing to remember is to be proactive in handling your credit card debt.
Unmanaged debt can ultimately lead to lawsuits, loss of property, and
tarnished credit reports.

Here are a few ideas for managing and/or reducing your debt:

-Get in touch with creditors right away. Often times, creditors will
reduce credit card interest rates if you simply ask for a break. Explain
your situation, and let creditors know if you're having trouble meeting
your minimum monthly obligation. Many creditors will work with you to
arrange a customized payment plan.

-Develop a budget. While many people dread this very important step in
reducing debt, it can be extremely important in taking control of your
financial situation. Compare and contrast fixed expenses-mortgage
payments, rent, car payments, and insurance premiums, for example--with
variable expenses, such as entertainment and recreation. List all your
expenses, even those that seem unimportant. This is an important step in
determining your spending patterns, prioritizing expenses, and determining
whether or not you have additional money to contribute to the monthly
payments on your credit card.

-Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate. While debt consolidation is a
sometimes daunting and drastic step, it can be an important move in the
quest to reduce your credit card debt. If you're a homeowner, consider a
second mortgage or a home equity loan to pay off high-interest rate debt.
While these loans often require you to list your home as collateral,
remember that if you start skipping out on credit card payments, you could
easily lose your home. What's more, these loans provide tax advantages
that are not available with many kinds of credit.

-Go to counseling. Credit counseling, that is. Many credit counseling
organizations will help you come up with a feasible solution for ridding
yourself of debt. You can find credit counselors on the Internet, and many
credit unions, universities and military bases provide credit counseling
programs.

Also, get in touch with your bank, friends, and/or family for a
recommendation. Some of the services credit counselors provide: Advice on
how to manage your debt, assistance in developing a budget, and classes
and workshops that are geared towards teaching consumers about money
management, credit card debt, and budgeting. Counselors can also recommend
a debt management plan (DMP), which allows you to make monthly deposits to
the specific counseling organization that you're working with. Your
counselor will then develop a payment schedule with your creditors that
includes lower interest rates or waives certain fees.

For more suggestions and information on how to manage your credit card
debt, please visit http://www.informedcredit.com.

Beth West has an extensive background in marketing and public relations,
serving in management positions in both the hospitality and software
industries. Currently acting as the Director of Marketing for
InformedCredit, Beth is also trying to launch a freelance writing business.

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Bankruptcy Explained: What's the Difference Between a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 11?

Before doing any research, you may believe that bankruptcy is simply the
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Chapter 7 bankruptcies are often referred to as the "liquidation"
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outstanding creditors who had provided unsecured loans to the individual or
business.

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debts –
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loans
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discharge of debt under a Chapter 7 is only possible for individual
debtors –
not partnerships or other types of corporations.

Once the proper paperwork is filed with the court to begin the Chapter 7,
creditors must stop contacting the debtor attempting to collect the debt.

An individual may be denied debt discharges under a Chapter 7 case if the
court
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committed a crime of perjury, was unable to explain loss of assets,
concealed,
destroyed or illegally transferred property to try and move it out from the
estate, or failed to complete a financial management course as required of
all
debtors filing bankrtupcy.

A Chapter 11 bankruptcy is referred to as the "rehabilitation" bankruptcy.
The
individual or business can file for Chapter 11 – or the creditors may
involuntarily file for the debtor in certain situations. Most Chapter 11
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individuals.

In this type of bankruptcy, the debts are reorganized to allow the
individual or
business a better chance of repaying them and keeping their head above
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rates
may be lowered, the amount of time you have to repay a debt may be
extended to
make the monthly payments lower and hopefully, easier to manage. A trustee
is
appointed to supervise the assets but nothing is sold at this time.

In a Chapter 11 bankrtupcy, you aren't getting rid of your debts – you are
simply restructuring and changing the terms of the debt and making plans
to pay
it back continuously through future earnings.

If a business is filing Chapter 11, it's expected to continue operating
successfully. If that proves not to be possible, the business can then
file for
Chapter 7 and liquidate assets.

In both a Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 filing by a corporation, it's likely
that the
common shareholders would receive little or no return on their investments.

Article:

http://www.destroydebt.com/articles/bankruptcy-explained-whats-the-difference-between-a-chapter-7-and-a-chapter-11.html

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