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Plan Your Way To Prosperity

Planning is a must for a single mom's prosperity, and essential in any financial program.

It is literally committing financial goals to written form.

The Law of the Universe states that someone who plans well will foresee dangers and avoid them, but the foolish person, the one who doesn't plan, will rush ahead, do whatever is convenient, and end up paying the penalties.

Just as we can't build houses without blueprints, we can't have the financial structure of personal finance without blueprints or plans.

In other words, we must live on a budget or short term plan.

And then, we must look ahead to see future needs, and try to meet them in our long term plan.

A budget is not just for people who are cash strapped.

In fact, most wealthy people maintain a budget... and having one is how they planned their way to prosperity.

"A fool with a plan, is better than a genius without one." T. Boone Pickens, American Business Magnate and Financier

If you want to become prosperous, you must have a plan.

If you fail to plan, plan to fail financially.

Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

Should You Consolidate Or Settle Your Delinquent Debts

Bills are due upon receipt, but most Americans who receive a huge pile of bills each month can barely make ends meet.

As a result of past due bills, you are experiencing sleepless nights, and harassing phone calls from creditors.

Have you ever considered how much interest you are paying every month for all your delinquent loan payments?

If you can’t handle your multiple monthly bills and loan payments, then you’re already in a financial crisis.

The inability to make timely monthly payments will accumulate additional charges or fees (up to the maximum allowed by law), which some lenders consider default.

These added charges will only get you deeper in debt.

It’s time to know the benefits of an experienced and tested debt settlement company to help you.

When the stress of debt starts to build, there are two main options to help provide a solution. 

Debt Settlement

Debt settlement is a process in which you accumulate funds in a trust account to use for paying your debt.

The debt settlement company will negotiate to reach agreed to resolutions on your accounts with the goal of saving you the most money possible, being as flexible as possible, and getting your debts resolved as quickly, and painlessly as possible.

In this type of program, your home and property is not affected, if you miss one payment, the program is flexible, designed to reduce the balances as much as possible, and resolve the debts based on the payment or funds that you have available.

Debt Consolidation

Debt consolidation is a general term that encompasses various programs to address debt.

In most cases, these debt consolidation programs could actually put you in a worse place than you are now, if you don’t speak to a certified credit counselor.

It works best when the debts are not secured by any real property.

Get in touch with a debt consolidation company for a debt analysis to reverse your financial crisis.

If you owe multiple debts accumulated from credit cards, automobile financial lending companies, and private lenders, consider settlement with a reliable financial crisis assistance company. 

This could mean your long awaited financial freedom.

The initial contact that potential customers make will be for their representatives to understand your current situation, what led to you needing financial assistance, and to talk a little bit about your goals, both short term and long term.

They will ask you questions about your finances to get a little more information so they can make the right recommendations for you.

Again, this call is free of charge, and it is to make sure you are comfortable with their services.

The phone call is completely confidential.

They will use the information they learn from your conversation to give you free recommendations on the steps to take to get you back to financial stability.

They will either be able to help you immediately or, they will refer you to one of the best solution providers in the industry.

Click on my Google+ Followers on the right today to find out whether you should consolidate your bills, or how they can improve your financial situation and thus, improve your life.

There’s no looking back after that, you can look forward to a debt-free lifestyle where cash is still king!

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

My Get Out Of Debt Journey

My get out of debt journey started when I requested a free debt analysis; and after speaking to a certified credit counselor, I decided to do whatever it took to get debt free once and for all!

I had approximately $65,000 worth of credit card, and other debt (not unheard of in today’s economy), and a lot of it was medical, personal loans, and a nasty auto repossession judgment.

To top it off, I had lost my full-time job with the nations largest employer.

Ignoring My Debt Didn’t Make It Disappear

However, I knew with a lot of determination I could solve my debt problems, and be on the road to recovery the sooner I could get started.

Using the techniques in my debt management plan, I got right to work.

Most of my days were spent trying to restore my health, searching for a job, and trying to build a micro business, but I found the time I needed to get going on my plan.

I stopped all unnecessary spending, didn’t buy any clothes or shoes, fixed my own hair, did my own manicure, pedicure and eyebrow arch, and swallowed my pride to ask for food favors, at times.

I reversed spending money for goods and services I was accustomed to, and learned to do more for myself, make do with what I had, and do without certain things.

It wasn’t easy, and many days and nights I cried like a baby about my menacing debt and poverty, which resulted from severe disability.

Because my debt situation was so grave, it took me about two years (with limited income).

After I got over the judgment hurdle, I finally got the debt snowball rolling and eliminated about $45,000 of the $65,000 I owed.

I followed the rest of the plan and became free and clear of all of my debt.

If I had continued to sit around and do nothing about my debt, as I had done for several years, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

I bought the house in the photo in 2009, and I still live frugally.

The best thing is… YOU can get there too… it’s up to you!

If you’re tired of sitting around and doing nothing about your debt… trying to ignore it… why don’t you just request a debt settlement, debt negotiation, or debt consolidation savings estimate.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

Fortune Favors The Bold To Get Out Of Debt

I’ve always loved the saying, “fortune favors the bold”…

I believe it was originally attributed to Julius Caesar, but it probably predates even him.

There’s another version of it I like even better by Dorothea Brande:  “Act boldly and unseen forces will come to your aid.”

In my experience, both of these statements are absolutely true.

When I took bold action to get out of debt, I got big results.

Why does this happen, and how does it apply to getting out of debt?

Usually, I don’t care about “why” something works, only that it does.

However, there is value at times in getting into the “why” because it allows you to apply the “why” to other areas, and to come up with even more powerful ideas.

Bold action, by its nature, which +Seth Godin calls “remarkable,” tends to attract attention.

And, no matter how bright and smart you are, you simply cannot succeed in life without taking bold action or, the aid of others.

The quality of boldness is very attractive and remarkable.

Single Moms Who Get Out of Debt are Winners

Patton, one of my favorite military generals, had it 100% right when he said, “America loves a winner.”

One of the big qualities of winners is bold action, and people are attracted to winners.

When you start doing a lot of bold things, you attract people who want to be a part of what you’re doing.

Why?

Because few people act boldly, and they want to live vicariously through those who do.

However, that’s being lazy and fearful.

Think about the single mom you know who boldly started a business nobody thought ever had a chance of succeeding.

And, immediately took this “stupid” business idea to staggering success.

Everyone wanted to hangout with her because she had “guts.”

And, more often than not, she always got the outcome she was looking for.

Why?

Because boldness is attractive and remarkable.

Now, don’t confuse boldness with stupidity.

I know people who’ve done stupid things boldly, and gotten the results they deserve.

Bold action, even to get out of debt, should only be taken with good preparation backed up by tested, proven knowledge.

However, when you do study the area you want to apply action to, when you prepare diligently, you must act boldly and decisively when the opportunity presents itself.

And, the more bold action you take, the more opportunity will come your way… it’s an amazing “self feeding” mechanism.

So, prepare diligently, and act boldly.

Unseen forces will come to your aid… to help you get out of debt.

Remember, before you act boldly to get out of debt, you have to have the right information to act on.

I know for a fact because I used it myself.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

Step Up And Make Your Get Out Of Debt Plan Happen

There are two types of people in this world who want to get out of debt… talkers and doers.

And, there are two things that separate the two.

One is obviously taking action.

In order to be a doer and get out of debt, you must take action.

There is no way around that.

However, did you know there are lots of talkers who do take action, but never get out of debt?

They look busy, they appear busy, they “do” things, but they never get out of debt.

Why is this?

Why are they really talkers even though they “take action” to get out of debt.

The answer is simple: They do not have the right information to base their action on.

And, when their get out of debt plan fails, they do the same old thing over and over, and then blame someone else for their lack of results.

The true doer "calibrates" what needs to be done to take action to get out of debt.

Then you look at what you did, find out where you lack knowledge, and get it.

Getting out of debt is a time-consuming, self-directed learning process of taking different actions, e.g. checking credit report, writing letters to credit bureaus and creditors, etc.

And, you continue to go through this cycle of taking action and acquiring information until you get out of debt.

Sometimes this process takes a long time and cost a high price.

Nevertheless, at the end of the tunnel, it's WORTH IT to be debt free!

If you are a true doer and want to get out of debt, I can offer you information that has been tested and proven through trial and error.

What I can't do is get you to take action to get out of debt.

That's up to you.

However, if you're an action-taker, and all you need is the right information, I can provide that for you.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

Single Mom's Beware Of Claims To Prevent Identity Theft

It's no surprise to us that the rise in identity theft cases in recent years has spawned services that claim to protect consumers from identity theft.

It also comes as no surprise that many of those companies can't back up their sales pitch.

A lot of services claim that they can prevent your identity from being stolen or used.

"No one can do tat," according to Susan Grant of Consumer Federation of America (CFA).

CFA issued a report on identity theft protection services, which found among other failings, that many companies' websites misrepresent the level of protection that they provide, use inaccurate statistics and don't provide easy-to-understand pricing information.

Grant says the best action that a company that claims to protect you from identity theft can deliver is to alert you of the theft immediately, say, if someone opens an account in your name.

If it alerts you quickly enough, you can stop that type of activity, she says.

However, she says, you shouldn't buy into a company that promises prevention or claims to do everything for you to stop thieves and secure your identity.

Although Grant says it's unlikely that you ever will need an identity theft protection service, she says some consumers still buy it.

If you buy identity theft protection, you should be able to understand the specific service that a company provides, how it's provided and how much it costs.

If a company can't provide that information clearly, then you should keep looking.

Related:  12 Tips To Prevent Single Mom's From Identity Theft.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

12 Tips For Single Mom's To Prevent Identity Theft

If You Think Identity Theft Couldn't Happen to You…

According to the Federal Trade Commission, almost 10 million+ Americans had their identity stolen, at a cost of about 50 billion dollars last year.

When someone uses your social security number, takes out loans or opens credit cards in your name, steals your bank account number and makes withdrawals, racks up charges on your credit card, or writes fraudulent checks on your account, that’s identity theft.

How Does Identity Theft Happen?

A thief may steal paid bills or pre-approved credit offers from your mailbox or, when your mail is wrongly delivered, or simply snatches your purse.

Some thieves, known as “dumpster divers,” go through your trash looking for discarded bills, receipts and phone cards.

Many years ago, I threw away an AT&T phone card because I didn’t want to use it, but someone went through my garbage, found it, sold it, and I had hell to pay to prove that I didn't make almost $2,000 in long distance phone calls.

Don’t Be a Victim of Identity Theft

Learn what you need to do to protect yourself from identity theft with the following 12 tips:

1. Buy a crosscut shredder:  The kind that turns paper into confetti, and feed financial statements, pre-approved credit offers, canceled checks, other sensitive paper-work through it.
2. Set your garbage on the curb the day of trash pickup, not the night before. Thieves have less time, and less darkness to dig through your garbage.
3. Drop paid bills and other money-filled mail at the post office or, in an official U.S. Postal Service mailbox.
4. Pick up new checks at the bank instead of having them mailed to your home (even though they’re cheaper). Or, get them sent by registered mail so you have to sign for them. Nowadays, they’re mailed in a plain wrapper for security.
5. Limit the amount of personal information on your checks. Only add your telephone or driver’s license number if the merchant requires it, and never give your social security number. A legitimate retailer won’t need it.
6. Only carry the credit and bankcards you need, not every one you own. And, don’t keep your social security card in your wallet. Store it in a safe place. If a thief steals your wallet, it’s one less piece of information they have.
7. Cancel credit cards you rarely use. Having fewer open accounts makes you less vulnerable to identity theft.
8. Write down all your credit card account numbers and expiration dates, as well as the names, phone numbers, and addresses of each creditor so you can call them if the cards get stolen. Store this information in a safe place.
9. Pay attention to when you usually receive bills and statements, and be on the lookout for them. If one hasn't arrived within a few days of its normal date, call the company who sent it and let them know it may have been stolen.
10. Carefully check each statement and bill as soon as you receive it. Look for charges you didn't make. This is crucial because thieves think most people don’t check their statements or, will ignore small reoccurring amounts. Report them immediately to the company billing you or your bank.
11. Request copies of your credit report every year.
12. Opt out of pre-approved credit card offers, and give thieves less to steal.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

Single Mom’s Fight Back Against Identity Theft

Identity Theft is Serious Business

                

You could be denied credit, mortgages, jobs, educational opportunities, and even arrested for crimes committed in your name.

Even though you must spend your own time and money repairing the damage, it’s essential you do so.

You must watch out for these warning signs that someone has stolen your identity:

• You suddenly stop receiving monthly bank statements or credit card bills.
• You start getting bills from companies you don’t recognize.
• You are denied loans or credit for no reason you can think of.
• Collection agencies begin contacting you about debts you didn't create.

Acting fast is key in limiting the damage.

Take these emergency steps set out by the Federal Trade Commission as soon as you suspect your identity has been stolen:

Call in Identity Theft Fraud Alerts

Notify the fraud department of one of the three major credit bureaus, and ask them to place a fraud alert on your credit file.

They will notify the other two bureaus and have them do the same.

This alert flags your file so creditors will contact you before they open any new accounts in your name or, make changes to your existing accounts.

This initial alert will expire after a certain amount of time and, you must call each bureau to renew it.

Review Your Credit Reports for Identity Theft

As soon as you have placed fraud alerts, each bureau will send you a free copy of your credit report.

Look it over carefully for suspicious activity, like accounts you didn't open or unexplained debts.

Order your reports periodically the first year following the crime, then at least once a year thereafter.

Write a letter to dispute fraudulent activity on your credit report, and send it to the credit bureaus.

Choose Your Identity Theft Accounts

Contact credit card companies, utility companies, banks, lenders, and other creditors, and ask to speak with someone in their security or fraud department.

First, close any existing accounts you know the thief tampered with, as well as any new accounts he opened.

Next, open new accounts with different passwords and personal identification numbers.

Don’t go for the obvious like your mother’s maiden name, your birthday, phone number, or the last four digits of your social security number.

These are too easy to guess.

Dispute Debts about Identity Theft in Writing

Phone calls aren’t enough.

It’s crucial to tell your creditors about the fraud in writing.

Otherwise, they could still hold you liable for the bad debts.

To challenge charges made to one of your existing accounts, mail a dispute letter to the creditor telling them which charges are fraudulent.

To dispute new accounts a thief opened in your name, fill out an ID Theft Affidavit, a form put out by the Federal Trade Commission, and mail it to the creditor.

Some creditors may require you to fill out one of their own fraud forms. Ask which they prefer when you call.

Insist the creditor send you a letter saying they have forgiven the fraudulent debts and closed the unauthorized accounts.

You may need this information in writing if these same bad debts reappear on your credit report.

File a Police Report about Identity Theft

An official police report builds your case and may protect you from creditors on fraudulent debts.

Give the police as much information as you can, then get a copy of the report.

Your creditors may need proof of the crime to forgive the debts.

Plus, the credit bureaus will automatically block or erase any fraudulent activity from your credit report if you send them a police report.

Complain to the Federal Trade Commission About Identity Theft

File a complaint about the crime with the Federal Trade Commission.

This government agency tracks trends in identity theft and gathers information to help solve future cases.

Filing a complaint also helps government officials understand how widespread this crime is.

Stay Organized to Fight Identity Theft

You could spend weeks or even months undoing the damage from identity theft.

The Federal Trade Commission offers these tips to help keep you organized:

• Keep a notebook. Write down the name and company of everyone you speak to, what they told you, and the date of the conversation.
• Follow up all phone conversations in writing.
• Make copies of every piece of correspondence you mail regarding your case.
• Only mail copies, not originals, of police reports, sales slips, or other supporting documents. Keep the originals in your own files.
• Send all correspondence by certified mail, and request a return receipt. This way you can prove the date a creditor received your letter.
• Save your files, even after you think the case is closed. Problems could crop up later on.

You are Never Alone When Dealing with Identity Theft

Many consumer groups offer counseling and step-by-step help.


Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

Just Say No To Pre-Approved Credit Cards

Why a Pre-Approved Credit Card is not Credit Card Relief

You’re pre-approved for a new credit card with a limit of thousands of dollars.

This is dangerous in two ways.

Not only can the temptation of easy credit spell disaster to anyone’s budget and financial security, but also the risk of identity theft rises with every credit card offering drifting through your mailbox. 

And, like Spam Emails, all that clutter of “junk mail” credit card offers is simply annoying.

What should you do?

Opt Out to Stop Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers for Credit Card Relief

This means you stop the offers of pre-approved credit cards at the source, which is the credit bureau.

You have the choice of getting your name removed from the mailing list for two years or permanently.

If you’re reading your free credit report closely, you already know this and have done it right?

When you opt out, you will be asked for personal information including your name, telephone number, and social security number, for verification purposes.

All we can do is pray that these details remain confidential and are only used to process our request (in this age of outsourcing, list selling, identity theft…) for credit card relief.

Tired of the debt lifestyle?

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden

How To Save Money On Home Improvements After A Disaster

“I was just in the neighborhood…”

These words are often the beginning of a very common scam.

That’s a tip off that this isn’t a save money opportunity.

If your house has been damaged in a fire, flood, or other natural disaster, you could be a prime target, to lose money.

Phony contractors make big claims and charge big bucks to repair your home.

They may demand a large deposit up front, then start the job and never finish it.

They may use poor quality material, perform shoddy work, or fail to meet building codes.

People are often so consumed with the devastation that has occurred in their lives that they are more vulnerable to disaster fraud.

Learn the Signs of Fraud to Save Money

If you educate yourself against dishonest contractors now, you can avoid becoming a victim of disaster fraud.

To save money, beware of contractors who:

• Go door-to-door looking for customers (and without business cards), drive an unmarked van or truck, or have out-of-state license plates.

• Ask you to pay the entire cost of the job up front.

• Encourage you to spend a lot of money on temporary repairs.

• Ask you to obtain the permit for any work. It could mean the contractor does not have a license.

• You can only reach them through an answering service.

• Quote you a price that’s vastly different from estimates from other contractors.

• Make outrageous promises and pressure you for a quick-decision.

Know Who to Trust to Save Money

Follow these tips for protecting yourself and hiring an honest, reliable contractor:

• Ask your insurance agent, friends, and neighbors who they recommend.

• Write down the salesperson’s license plate and driver’s license numbers.

• Ask the contractor for proof of his insurance coverage and any licenses he need to perform the repairs.

• Ask for a list of recent customers, then call them and find out if they were satisfied with the work.

• Call your local Better Business Bureau or Home Builders Association to find out if a contractor has complaints against them.

• Get estimates in writing from at least three contractors. These should include all the labor, materials, and verbal promises the contractor made.

When you are ready to sign a contract, make sure it includes all work details, warranties, time schedule, the quality of building materials, and cost.

Fill in all the blanks in the contract. Never leave empty spaces for someone to fill out later.

Pay by credit card or check, never cash. Checks offer the most protection, because you can stop payment if you have a dispute with the contractor.

Pay in installments. Put as little money down as you can, and only make the last payment when you are completely happy with the work.

Tell your insurance agent if an unlicensed or fraudulent contractor approaches you.

Disaster fraud doesn’t have to ruin your life; there are ways you can still save money, by not being defrauded.

Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment and share this post.

Tonza Borden