Collector Buzz

Debt Consolidation – A Boon to the Debt-Ridden

Thanks to aggressive advertising and our own growing demands, human beings have become more and more impatient and whatever they wish to own, they cannot bear the delay in getting it. Youngsters dream of owning a minimum of own vehicle and house before they complete their first year in office. And they cannot wait for their bank balances to show the amount required to purchase their dream. This growing trend led to the concept of credit cards. These cards gave the choice to the owner to buy things even if he did not have the money at that time and to pay when he could later. This helped individuals as they no longer needed to postpone their purchases due to low funds. These cards had a predetermined amount permissible according to the owner’s financial prowess and he could continue purchasing until he met the limit.

These days, it is common to see banks offering credit cards to all account holders and one could also issue the card while applying for new accounts too. But soon it became evident that if you were not careful and alert this spending spree could very well land you in debts thereby putting you through a lot of troubles. The main reason behind accruing such debts was seen to be with people who couldn’t pay the credit amount on time, and as a result, the companies charged penalty for this default. This soon added to their already existing debts thus creating this vicious cycle that slowly engulfed their entire life.

As more and more people facing similar situations, financiers introduced the concept of debt consolidation. In order to understand this we must first find out the cause of creating debts. When we buy things on credit we end up with various bills charging various rates of interest. If you go about paying those bills as credit you actually end up paying more than your actual debt amount. Debt consolidation means combining all your bills into one monthly payment. This helps you manage your bills thereby helping you solve any debt related issues. Thus you would agree that in the current times a debt consolidation company can be considered as having an important role in helping solve your financial troubles.

Finally, it is very important to keep in mind that debt consolidation although being a messiah for the troubled ones is not the be all and end all of any debt related problem in an individual’s life. He should view this as a part of the whole process and in future must act with discretion and sensibly regarding all financial matters.

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Credit Card Debt Settlement Services- Five Things You Need To Know

Credit card debt settlement is becoming increasingly popular. It’s no wonder, with more and more consumers racking up thousands of dollars in debt. However, credit card debt settlement isn’t always everything it’s cracked up to be. If you’re thinking about signing up with one of the many credit card debt settlement services out there, there are some things you really need to consider.

1. Understanding the Basics

First, let’s make sure you understand what credit card debt settlement is, and what it is not. Credit card debt settlement is not about your creditors writing off your debt without you paying another penny. With credit card debt settlement, you do have to pay a one-time lump sum and in exchange for this amount of money, your credit card company writes off your debt as being paid in full.

So how much will you have to pay? This all depends on how much money you owe and your personal financial situation. In most instances, the amount of a credit card debt settlement is somewhere between 30 and 50 percent of the original amount of the debt.

If your debt is $3,000 you can expect to pay somewhere between $900 and $1,500 in a credit card debt settlement. That isn’t, however, written in stone. In rare instances a settlement can be as little as 5 percent of the balance or as much as 95 percent.

2. Want Some Pie In The Sky?

At this point in time, credit card debt settlement probably sounds good. I mean, who wouldn’t want to pay off their debt with just a fraction of what they owe? Unfortunately, it’s not always as easy as the credit card debt settlement companies say it is.

First and foremost, a credit card debt settlement service can’t promise you anything until they have it in writing from your creditors. In fact, some debtors don’t even qualify for credit card debt settlement, so a company giving you promises without some in-depth analysis is a big red flag. If you call XYZ Debt Settlement and they tell you they can get your bills paid off for 20 percent of what you owe, you’d better hang up the phone and call someone else.

A legitimate credit card debt settlement service will be up front about the fact that unless they have pre-arranged debt settlement agreements with your creditors, they won’t be able to quote you any firm numbers until they have negotiated on your behalf.

3. The Credit Factor

Credit card debt settlement can (and probably will) affect your credit. That doesn’t, however, mean that it’s going to affect it negatively.

If you’ve had pretty good credit up until now and you don’t have many late payments in your credit history, your credit score may take a dive after you arrange for credit card debt settlement. That being said, if you have many outstanding accounts in default with numerous late payments, credit card debt settlement can actually help improve your credit score.

4. You Need The Cash

Before you get all gung ho about credit card debt settlement, remember that the money has to come from somewhere. When you negotiate a credit card debt settlement, in most cases the credit card company is going to expect the amount you negotiate in full.

If you owe $3,000 and you settle for $1,000, you’d better have that $1,000 on hand to give to the credit card company. If you don’t yet have that $1,000 yet, don’t negotiate your settlement until you do.

I always suggest scraping together enough money to cover fifty percent of the balance owed. If your settlement ends up being less, keep that extra money in savings or use it to pay down other debts. If the credit card company wants more, tell them you’ll send them what you have and ask if you can pay off the rest of the settlement over 90 days.

5. The Fee Issue

When it comes to credit card debt settlement services, you are going to pay a fee for the services they provide. Considering that most consumers can’t negotiate a debt settlement as well as some of the reputable services, the fee may well be worth it.

That being said, if a credit card debt settlement service asks you to send them a fee up front and before they have actually settled your debt, don’t fall for it. Unfortunately, there are some scams out there and when someone wants you to send them money without any guarantee on their part, it’s usually a rip off.

While credit card debt settlement can be a bit time consuming, confusing and sometimes even stressful, it is a great alternative to bankruptcy. If you find yourself in the position of no longer being able to pay your bills, a credit card debt settlement may indeed be the solution you’ve been looking for.

For more tips on credit card debt, saving money and avoiding getting taken, check out http://www.CreditCardTipsEtc.com , a website that specializes in providing credit card tips, advice and resources.

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Collecting Folk Art Paintings – First Trolley To Van Nuys

Collecting folk art paintings has become a passion of mine.  I’ve been looking for them everywhere it seems.  I found a bunch of folk art paintings recently and I am having trouble deciding which one to buy.

There was a folk art painting by Rev. Howard Finster that is titled Howard in 1944.  This is an all enamel folk art painting that was painted in 1988.  The smile on this portrait is very engaging and makes me smile just as big.

I am also really taken by a folk art painting that was painted by painter Bill Dodge in Oct 1962.  The title of the painting is First Trolley To Van Nuys.  The painting is on board and depicts the center of town with all the people in town.  They are in the windows and on the street.  The town market, bakery, Hotel Van Nuys, an ice cream parlor and the Wing Lee Laundry are all depicted in vibrant color.  The women in the foreground are against the Trolley and their signs say “Ban the Monster” and “Keep Van Nuys rural”.

Thomas Chambers is one of America’s foremost folk artists.  I found a piece by him that I just don’t like very much.  It is a bit austere for my tastes.  The subject is a fishing scene with villagers and boats.  I don’t think that I will purchase this folk art painting because I just don’t like it.

There was a folk art painting I found called Alligator Fisher that was painted in 1940 that I really like.  The blue of the bayou is very calming and the trees give it a very Southern feel.  There is a swamp house in the painting and I like this one very much.  It reminds me very strongly of Louisiana.

My mother started this passion of mine for folk art paintings.  She had a folk art painting by John Roeder in our parlor growing up.  I used to spend hours just staring into it.  The trees were so relaxing to lose myself in.  I have asked her to give me this wonderful folk art painting many times, but she says that I will have to wait until after her funeral!

I found one folk art painting during my journey that I felt sad every time I looked at.  The name of the painting is A Letter from My Mother.  The look in the girl’s face is so serious and sad.  I have no idea where this folk art painting should hang.  The painting itself is magnificent; it just makes me feel sad.

There is a whole subset of folk art paintings that represent black Americana.  I don’t usually buy any of these pieces as they don’t speak to my experience.  I did find one piece that I purchased for a collector friend of mine that loves this type of art.  The folk art painting had a whimsical feel to it and a woman relaxing in a hammock.  He hung this in his hallway and has loved it for a long time.

My brother likes folk art paintings as much as I do.  He prefers animals to be the subjects of paintings he purchases.  I found a lovely clouded leopard folk art painting for him last Christmas and he has asked that I keep my eyes open for more like it.  He said that he will buy any art I find for him because he trusts that I know and understand his tastes.

I have kept my eyes open for animal themed folk art paintings for my brother, but I just can’t seem to find any as nice as the leopard that I got for him.  The grand extent of animal themed folk art paintings I’ve found recently was a painting of two owls on a limb and I know that he would not like it.  Ever since we were kids, owls totally freak him out.