Book Description
A step-by-step action plan to quick and lasting recovery after personal bankruptcy. Indexed.
Customer Reviews:
The Book Is Actually An Ad For His $497 Course.......2007-09-12
This book is FULL of commercials but void of any specific information you can apply to your life. His advice on everything from getting credit cards, auto loans, installment loans, mortgages, what ever, is to research everything out there and interview every loan officer, credit mangager etc out there, and find the best deal.
This book, his internet site, and his "free" seminar are all in effect teases to get you to buy his "Increase Your Credit Scores - Improve Your Lifestyle" course which costs $497. Presumably, some actually utilizable information is in that.
Bankruptcy.......2007-03-22
There is a moderate amount of useful information about life after bankruptcy. Probably half of the information can be found on the internet. However, the author should not have used the bankruptcy information as a cover for preaching his religious beliefs. I felt mislead.
Bankruptcy.......2007-01-12
This is a good book for someone who filed bankruptcy this book has given me a lot of insight on thing
Waste of money.......2006-12-23
You can find all this information on line. There is nothing new here for a post bankruptcy person. Also, he has a RELIGIOUS BENT so be careful.
light at the end.......2006-11-08
I am seeing light at the end of the bankruptcy tunnel
Book Description
The national bestseller that can help you create the life of your dreams for only $10 a day, using Jean Chatzky's powerful "debt diet."
Is it really possible to live without credit card debt, bill collectors, whopping interest payments, or anxiety about retirement? Yes it is, and Jean Chatzky, one of America's most beloved money experts, can teach you how to use the debt diet to make that dream a reality.
Millions of Americans watch Chatzky on NBC's Today show, and millions more read her articles in magazines like Money, Time, Life and Travel & Leisure. Unlike some financial gurus, she offers straight talk about the problems real people face in the real world. Chatzky proves that anyone, no matter how debt-ridden or how low on income, can find an extra $10 a day to knock out their debt and build a bright, secure future.
It might be as simple as spending less on your morning coffee or as drastic as trading in your SUV for a more practical car. You'll also learn how to track your spending, consolidate your debts, force credit card companies to give you their best rates, and plan ahead for the inevitable surprise expenses that crop up from time to time.
Customer Reviews:
Financial Relief.......2007-09-10
"Pay it Down: From Debt to Wealth on $10 a Day" is an amazing book: easy to read, a workbook to help you sort out your own debt, and a wonderful resource of emails and phone numbers of all the places related to helping you get out of debt--whether you are just trying to get a better car loan rate or are in deep financial trouble. Jean Chatzky regularly appears on the NBC's "Today Show," as well as writing for magazines like "Time" and "Money."
In this book, she provides great advice for following a plan of finding $10 a day to put toward your debt and working your way to a happier life (her plan takes about three years of solid financial discipline to get to most results). She begins with the less painful ways to save and works her way toward much tougher choices. She offers practical advice and even builds in a way to have (planned) splurges. She offers practical advice that anyone can adapt, she realizes the reality of the need for cell phones and (basic) cable, at the same time helping you figure out how to find that extra money to reduce those dreaded credit card totals. She provides excellent advice about credit scores--how they are calculated, how you can improve your own, why you shouldn't cut up all those credit cards, and more.
Whether you just want to save a little more for retirement or need some serious financial help, this book is for you. There isn't anything much on investing money or what to do when you accumulate wealth: that's for another time. This is the nitty-gritty on dealing with debt and getting out from under those oppressive bills. I recommend this book.
Very Happy.......2007-08-23
I had a very pleasant experience purchasing this product. It was delivered in a timely manner, and was in the exact condition that the seller said it was. I will definitely be shopping at Amazon.com again.
Very basic, but there is some good information in it.......2007-08-06
So many negative reviews of this book are based on what the reviewer thinks everyone already knows - however it is they know that. True, this is not an in-depth economic or financial text, but it isn't meant to be. I consider myself an educated, relatively organized professional with workable financial knowledge, but I still picked up a few good tips from this book, and it made me think about a couple topics in a new light. My husband and I did the short exercises and discovered a surprise or two about our spending - nothing that was breaking the bank, but correcting the issues will save us some money that will add up over time.
This book is a very quick read done in a friendly, conversational tone. If you get it from your local library as we did, reading it won't cost anything, won't be much of a time investment, certainly won't hurt anything, and who knows, you may end up learning a thing or two that'll save you a few bucks.
Common Sense for those in debt and feel helpless.......2007-08-06
Get this book from your library (point one in saving $), and then go to your local library and get Oprah's Debt Diet series DVD's. Coupled together, (Jean is in both) you have GOTTA learn something!
Love this book! Way to go Jean!!
book full of nothing.......2007-04-10
If I ran a publishing company, my books would be different.
I would give each nonfiction author who has written a first draft of a book a sheet of paper with the following:
1. have more than 10 other famous authors already written widely available books with identical advice? if so you do not have a worthwhile manuscript. try again.
2. if you are saying "my plan works" where is the data to support your conclusion? basic numbers on compliance with your plan over the first month, first 12 months, two years?
3. if you have no data and you are saying the same thing as everyone else, why publish a book that only has a slight twist that differentiates itself from other books?
those 3 questions would stop books like this, leaving more space for the ones with substance.
the bottom line is that the covers of this book are too far apart. often that is said to disparage the book's content. in this case there is no content to criticize.
waste of paper. waste of time. waste of money and this "author" has damaged her reputation by putting this out, judging from reviews here.
Book Description
Learning how to
talk your way out of credit card debt is the quickest, easiest, and most efficient way to start saving money!
It's true! You can call your credit card banks to negotiate a better interest rate and have fees waived! However, it may not be as easy as picking up the phone and asking. That's because bank representatives are trained to deter you from pursuing the deals you deserve. Overcoming their tactics can be difficult when you don't know what to expect.
Scott Bilker, author of
Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, and creator of DebtSmart.com, has spent 10+ years making banks compete for his business. Now, he's sharing his personal phone calls to banks that saved more than $43,000 for himself, his family, and friends! These 52 phone calls, out of the hundreds he has made, demonstrate exactly what worked, what didn't, and why. In each call transcript, for anonymity, banks have been renamed as dog breeds and their reps as bugs.:)
In this book you will discover proven negotiation strategies, and build your confidence, while learning how to: (1) get annual fees waived; (2) lower your current interest rates; (3) shop for the best credit card deals; (4) get late-payment, overlimit, and cash-advance fees waived; (5) compare loan options and calculate savings; (6) dispute charges and get all your refunds; (7) negotiate account settlements; and much more!
Customer Reviews:
The man has 80 credit cards!.......2007-10-22
The man has 80 credit cards! That may seem to be a crazy amount to most people, and it's one at which most financial advisers would shudder, but to do what he wants to do with the industry (save and make money), 80 credit cards--maybe more--are needed.
Scott Bilker has an interesting take on the massive credit card industry: "The banks are at our mercy!" That may seem absurd to those of us who have piled up the average debt of $8,500 or more on a Macy's or Citi Platinum card, but that's his take. He's proven it with over 400 minutes of transcripts of interactions between him or his friends and the credit card companies. There is
Bilker is also quite humorous- his New York mentality shows up in witty comments about the industry: if you're late a couple times, your APR may go up to 29.99% and you could get a better rate in North Jersey with the mafia, he says.
Bilker also touches on Credit Arbitrage, which is a way to turn a money-losing situation into a money-maker. All-in-all, this is a fascinating sociological and economics lesson that is well-recommended.
JSBM
Author, How to Take Advantage of the People Who Are Trying to Take Advantage of You: 50 Ways to Capitalize on the System
A helpful beginning.......2007-08-31
I bought this and then returned it. While I think it would be helpful for many people, it was not as focused (in my opinion) for people over their heads.
Wonderful Book.......2006-08-31
This book is simply amazing! I had previously used some of the techniques Scott teaches, but other things he tells you to do blew my mind! The things Scott talks about are easy to do AND can save you a TON of money! I would highly recommend the book to anyone with ANY amount of credit card debt, or even if you have NO credit card debt.
Real advice that works!.......2005-08-12
I am in the same field as Scott, and have recommended his book countless times to consumers. With credit card companies raising rates, fees, etc. his advice could not be more timely.
I just interviewed Scott today (8/11/05) on my EverydayWealth Radio program on [...] and he told me how he just got a 10 month old late fee waived! That's practically unheard of.
I can't recommend Scott's book highly enough. You'll easily recoup many times the price of the book if you implement his suggestions.
A valuable book from day one.......2004-05-15
I was shopping for a book that would help me with the credit card debt I have accumulated. I chose this book. It has proven to be very bemeficial to me. It contains a large amount of information your banks don't want you to know. My first night of reading the book, I got up to about page 70 and made my first phone call, with the intent of gaining information about the account and possibly getting a fee reversed. I ended up getting a $50 credit to the account, relatively easily. I cannot praise this book enough! If you need to reduce your credit card debt, this book may very well be your solution.
Book Description
HOW TO SETTLE YOUR DEBTS, by Norman H. Perlmutter, CPA, is the book that everyone needs to prevent economic meltdown. It's the essential, up-to-date, comprehensive and gutsy survival guide to meet this ever growing serious problem of financial ruin that faces so many of us.
In a step-by-step format it guides individuals, families and businesses through a process that will end debt and reverse insolvency without filing bankruptcy. Even if you're on the brink of financial ruin, with this book you can regain financial health and get a fresh start without committing "financial suicide".
HOW TO SETTLE YOUR DEBTS provides legitimate workable solutions to repair financial chaos. It's written in a conversational style and organized in an outline format that promotes understanding and ease of reading for the average person. You will learn in no uncertain terms how to climb out of the hole you are in and get your financial life under control without causing irreparable damage to your future in the process.
The author is a practicing CPA and Financial Advisor who formerly owned a Debt Collection Agency. He understands the tactics of the conniving moneylenders and their debt collector enforcers and all the other scam artists who are out there waiting to rip you off. He knows how to deal with these people and how to stop them from harassing you and from ruining your credit and your reputation. Furthermore and most important, with this book he will teach you how to take control of your financial life and get out of the mess you are in.
HOW TO SETTLE YOUR DEBTS is for all those individuals, families and businesses whose debts grow deeper by the day and whose lives are being adversely affected by them. Here's a summary of how the book will help you deal with your problems with debt:
• It will teach you the basics - what you're up against, who the predators are, how to recognize and avoid their debt traps, the fundamentals of debt, the risks you take when you don't pay, and what they can and cannot do to collect from you.
• It will help you understand your problem - by following the steps outlined you will be able to expose, examine and evaluate your dilemma with debt, how it's affecting your life and the options you have to deal with it.
• You will learn to know your enemy - what makes creditors and bill collectors tick, what motivates them, what their weaknesses are, how you can exploit them and how they are vulnerable to attack.
• It will show you how to keep the wolves at bay - by creating doubt as to the validity and the collectability of your debts and by using "Dirty Tricks" and Counter Attack Techniques to frustrate and discourage creditors and bill collectors.
• It will teach you about your rights and how to take advantage of them - federal and state laws enacted to protect you from abuse and to punish bill collectors who violate them.
• You will learn how to negotiate a debt settlement plan - using basic negotiating skills and built in leverage to set up an advantageous arrangement with your creditors to workout and settle your debts.
• How to use the "Golden Rules of Debtsmenship" - to protect your assets and your privacy and to safeguard credit, and where necessary, how to repair credit and rebuild it.
• How to deal with lawyers - to negotiate debt settlements, contest lawsuits and protect your assets from judgment levies.
• How to settle secured debts and tax debts - by recognizing and seizing upon opportunities to settle or otherwise favorably resolve these debts that creditors have more power to collect.
• How to settle business debts - by understanding the differences that must be considered when negotiating workouts and settlements with business creditors.
• Where to get help if you need it - and how to watch out for all the scam artists who are out there waiting to take advantage of you.
• It's a reference manual as well as a guide - with its outline format and comprehensive index the book can be used to easily and quickly obtain information on any of the many subjects covered relating to debt and debt relief.
HOW TO SETTLE YOUR DEBTS ~ Without Committing Financial Suicide ~ shows you how to end debt and reverse insolvency without resorting to the self-defeating and demeaning ordeal of filing bankruptcy. It provides you with all the knowledge, the techniques and insight required to successfully accomplish this.
Customer Reviews:
Buy it and Save $$$.......2006-11-16
Using the information contained in the book, especially to have Patience and Persistence, I have settled 2 credit card debts, and saved $16,000 from what Credit Card #1 and Credit Card #2 were demanding. They gave in before I wore out. Having gone through this, I now feel extremely confident on settling the remaining debt for less then the current balance. Using the advice contained in Norman's book WILL work as long as don't give in until you feel you have reached a fair settlement.
Great book.......2006-04-17
Gives you the law and practicalities. After reading this book I wrote to one lender and one collection agency and (5 months later) haven't heard from them again.
Excellent! Very Informative .......2006-02-10
This book was great! I began reading the book with much debt and minimal knowledge of how to become victorious in the world of debt and credit. This book was written in lay terms, so it was very easy to understand. Included in the book were sample letters and laws that helped me to know my rights as a consumer.
As I was reading this book, I began to apply much of what was written and I immediately began to gain control over my finances. I was no longer going to fall prey to credit or be victim to the collector. I now have a budget, live beneath my means, have devised a plan to remain out of debt and am on my way to rebuilding my credit. I would recommend this book to any and everyone. It was absolutely outstanding!
Low on Substance.......2006-01-01
I got this book because of the outstanding reviews it already had. In hindsight, I suspect not all of them are legitimate reviews. It's difficult to imagine anyone could read the advice in this book, put it to use, and actually gain significant benefit. Though the book's description sounds very promising, I found that it didn't deliver the information it promised. Many of the scenarios in the book are unrealistic and make unhelpful assumptions. Over and over again the author directs the reader to research topics elsewhere without providing even basic information. For example: "Credit reports are difficult to read and even more difficult to understand. There are some excellent books available to help you with this." While this book is not specifically about dealing with your credit report, it seems that a bit more information about credit reports would have been provided.
Most of the advice is common sense (live within your means) or biased against any course of action other than settling with creditors. The author writes from the viewpoint that bankruptcy is the worst thing you could possibly do, but never backs up that claim with any information. I was left with the impression that the author himself isn't really sure what effect bankruptcy has.
In fact, the author's pervasive use of generalities and unrealistic suggestions made me think he doesn't actually know that much about credit (despite his alleged qualifications). For example, he repeatedly suggests bargaining with your creditors that you will pay part of your debt if they remove negative information they have already reported to the credit bureaus. But the author seems oblivious to the fact that the credit bureaus have specific rules against creditors doing this. Numerous such suggestions ruin the author's credibility.
At best, this book might be helpful as motivation to action for someone who lives behind his or her means. But if your debts are the result of unfortunate and unavoidable events in your life, and you are ready to take decisive action to get your debt under control and your credit back on track, you will find this book preachy and unhelpful.
This is the best resource currenty available ..........2005-11-05
... for learning how to settle unsecured debt such as credit card debt. It is comprehesive and yet concise. There is no BS or fluff and it touches on every area of the landscape you need to be aware of when trying to settle unsecured debt on your own. Even though there is one far more powerful solution to settling credit card debt that is not discussed in this or any other book that I have read on this subject, I still gave the book five stars because all of the information contained in it is essential to know and is very well presented. As such, this book is the ideal starting point for learning about how the business of debt and collection works and how to deal with it. I highly recommended it.
Book Description
Respected financial expert Dave Ramsey offers a comprehensive plan for getting out of debt and achieving financial health. Against a playful backdrop of fitness terminology, Dave gives solid, hard-hitting advice needed to make your goals a reality. Filled with both the "hope" and the "how-to," The Total Money Makeover includes:
- Useful worksheets and forms
- Readable and informative charts and graphs
- The four factors that keep people from getting in shape financially
- Photos and amazing stories from people who have succeeded following The Total Money Makeover plan
The Total Money Makeover is a necessity for everyone in need of a financial makeover. Readers will learn to live by the The Total Money Makeover motto: "If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else."
Customer Reviews:
Good ideas, problematic presentation.......2007-10-21
I picked up a copy of the Total Money Makeover book from my local used bookstore after reading a number of good reviews. After giving it a read through I've found that the majority of the book is geared towards convincing the reader of a number of financial "truths" and very little is actually geared toward practical use.
I was very disappointed by the lack of diversity in the "real life stories" -- they all seemed to be caucasian, self-employed middle class conservative Christian individuals in which the wife was either a stay at home mom or a homemaker. I understand that this is a faith-based special interest book and this is the target audience, but I think the author's lack of diversity in the book undermines the intent of the book and may turn off readers of different ethnicities, family structures and employment status.
There is some good financial advice in the book: develop a cash budget, don't use credit cards and learn to save by living below your means. I like the notion of the "snowball" debt repayment plan, and I think it makes sense if readers need motivation to establish good debt repayment habits.
All in all, I would recommend either buying the book used (on trade credit from your local used bookstore preferably) or borrowing a copy from your local library before deciding to purchase a copy.
Amazing.......2007-10-19
This book is full of common sense. Get out of debt, live on less than what you make so you can save for the future, etc. The difference is that this book lays out a plan in small, achievable steps that give you quick successes that motivate you towards your goal. It also includes testimonies of people who have started out in debt and have gone through the program and it has worked for them. Results matter, theories don't.
Because it's so obvious once you've read it, it makes you wonder why you haven't been doing this already - the reason is motivation and being overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. So this book removes both of those obstacles. Excellent program and excellent results.
Great Pre-Marital Advice.......2007-10-15
I have always been interested in my personal finances, but have had very little guidance. My mother bought this book for me a couple months ago, along with a couple other Ramsey books, right before I got married. I am 23 and my husband is 24 and I think I read this book at the perfect juncture in my life. Dave Ramsey inspired us to start our marriage off on the right financial foot by practicing the baby steps.
We paid off $10,000 in student loan and car debt and are now debt free. We have $8,000 saved up so far in our emergency fund. The next step is to set up retirement Roth IRAs, which we plan to do this week.
I would recommend this book to ANYONE, but especially to young people just starting out. This book is an excellent gift for recent college graduates, and I plan to give it to all my friends who are getting married soon.
The only reason I give the book 4 and not 5 stars is for the beginning section of the book which was so repetitive that I almost stopped reading. However, once Dave starts talking about the money myths and the 7 step program, the book became incredibly engrossing.
Excellent book, changed my life for the better.
Excellent book.......2007-10-14
I was able to read this book quickly and get a lot of information from it. I recommend it.
Not rocket science, but then again, most things worth doing aren't.......2007-10-04
If you are looking for a step-by-step guide to crawl out from under your financial rock, get control, and win with money, this is your book. Dave is a fantastic communicator, and part of that is his willingness to tell it like it is. If it's stupid, he calls it stupid; but always with the heart to see people change their lives for the better. Dave has said over and over that success with finances is only 20% knowledge, but 80% behavior. This book covers the basics of the head knowledge, but hopefully Dave's insights and the numerous personal narratives from real people who have implemented the plan and are winning with money will inspire you to change your behavior. If you need more convincing, just find his radio show or Web site and listen to how he helps people change their lives for the better.
Book Description
Written by two experience credit consultants, The Fix Your Credit Workbook offers a step-by-step way to organize cash flow and repair bad credit. With charts, to-do lists, form letters, and quotes from credit and debt collections laws, it teaches you how to:Prioritize your debts from most to least importantNegotiate payment schedules with creditorsSettle income tax debts with the IRSChoose between bankruptcy and other strategies for overcoming substantial debtUnderstand your rights in disputes with creditors, collectors, and credit reporting agenciesDevelop new practices to ensure a lifetime of great credit
Customer Reviews:
Not straight-forward but informative as heck.......2005-09-21
Too much if and buts and excrutiating detail that didnt apply. But it is a great guide and has pertinent real-world examples. You might wanna check other books on credit before you get this one. Not dissapointed because I am not going to get another book, but maybe if Amazon would give us a little more than the first page and ten pages of the index, I would have a better idea of what I am buying.
Wow, My credit was fixed in 30 days.......2005-05-10
I Followed the advice in this book and was able to get 11 bad things off my credit report. Some were true, some not, but it really worked.
Now I am buying a house for my family. Thank Your Mr. Bierman and Masten.
Disappointing.......2003-02-26
I bought this book because "Guerrilla Guide to Credit Repair" was very informative, but I wasted my money. The book is a big ad for the author's new Credit Insider online magazine that costs a mere one hundred and twenty five dollars a year. Since "Guerrilla Guide to Credit Repair" was published in 1994, I was hoping for some updated information, but there was nothing new in the book. It wasted a lot of space on forms that you would be sent anyway if you needed to fill them out. Too much space was also wasted on discussing how you could take the credit reporting bureaus to court and it appeared to me that key points may have been left out. Guess you have to buy the magazine to get all the good advice. Spend your money on a better book.
This book taught me Credit Bureau Kung Fu!.......2002-08-15
I know it sounds crazy, but after reading this book I felt like I knew Kung Fu when I was dealing with the Credit Bureaus and my past creditors. I had wonderful success prior to this book with the strategies that I learned from "Guerrilla Guide to Credit Repair", but when I started using the strategies from this book, I took it up a notch. In a few instances my creditors read the letters that I developed from reading this book, and simply gave in to my requests. The straetgies require a little time (A few months)a little typing and a little postage, but it yields amazing success. In fact, I have even begun helping others to recover their credit. God Bless Todd Bierman and Nathaniel Wice.
Pretty good -- if you want to know how to sue.......2001-08-23
I bought this book hoping to find out how those credit repair scams work. Todd Bierman doesn't go much into this as I'd like. He simply refers you to his other book, titled "Guerilla Guide to Credit Repair).
The Fix your credit workbook concentrates on how to demand reparations from credit agencies and what to do if they don't respond to your demands. He goes as far as provides stock letters for the credit agencies and a step-by-step guide on how to SUE in federal court by yourself.
I'm not a lawyer, but I think its foolish for any lay person to sue a credit agency in federal court without a lawyer. But Bierman does do a good job in case some bold soul out there wants to know how to file a petition in federal district court.
I just ordered the Guerilla Guide today and am anxiously awaiting it. The Fix your credit workbook is well written and a must have to deal with these pesky credit agencies nowadays.
Book Description
Don't let your credit suffer needlessly from errors or outdated information
With tools and tips for fixing a bad credit report
A bad credit report can hurt your chances at qualifying for loans and credit cards, and it can even get in the way when you want to rent an apartment or land a job. Credit Repair Kit For Dummies is your essential guide to managing your credit — from fixing mistakes on your credit report, to improving your credit going forward, to establishing manageable payment plans with creditors.
Discover how to
- Protect yourself from identity theft
- Improve your credit score
- Assert your rights under the FACT Act
- Maintain great credit
- Investigate your legal options
Download Description
The consumer's straightforward guide to fixing any credit problem Bad credit can ruin a consumer's chance at qualifying for a mortgage, business loan, or other financial help. Fixing bad credit can be difficult for anyone who doesn't understand how credit reports work. Fortunately, Credit Repair Kit For Dummies covers all the ins and outs of credit, helping consumers address their credit problems, pay down their debt, and get their finances on the right track. It gives readers step-by-step guidance on repairing credit problems and cleaning up a messy credit history themselves. Readers will also learn to fix credit report mistakes and deal with credit institutions.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent resource for credit improvement........2007-06-19
This was a wonderful book full of lots of details on how credit works. There are lots of tips on how to improve one's credit and a good discussion of budgeting, identity theft, and dealing with collectors.
I'd recommend this to anyone who needs help with their finances.
Easy to read.......2007-06-07
This books flows very easily for the credit novice. I recommend it to anyone looking to understand how your financial decisions will eventually catch up to you...
A Must-read for college students.......2006-12-21
As a financial planner and co-author of Making Bread: The Ultimate Financial Guide for Women Who Need Dough, I recommend this book for every college student. They need to know how to use credit wisely and this book will help them understand how it can be done. More importantly, students will learn what happens when they abuse credit. Few, if any, understand how bad credit will affect their future ability to borrow money. Money management should be a required course for college students. It is not, and they go into the adult world as financial illiterates. This book will open their eyes to what can happen.
Elizabeth Lewin
Americans need to read this book!.......2006-11-30
As a clinical psychologist and author specializing in the psychology of personal finance and the treatment of money disorders, I strongly recommend this book for anyone struggling with debt, and everyone who would like to avoid credit problems in the future. Steve Bucci is THE expert in helping people avoid and recover from excessive debt, and this book does not disappoint. The Credit Repair Kit For Dummies offers an in-depth, comprehensive, and enjoyable read chock-full of useful information. Given that last year more women filed for bankruptcy than graduated from college, and more children saw their parents file for bankruptcy than divorce, this book should be required reading in every high school in America. In fact, I think our elected "Dummies" in D.C. desperately need to learn and apply Mr. Bucci's principles in their management of America's finances.
Excellent Information Source for All Users of Credit.......2006-10-12
This book helped me get back to the basics of managing my credit - because unbeknownst to and forgotten by many, credit indeed needs to be managed! Also the chapter on budgeting was very useful. Stephen Bucci uses wit and simple everyday language to make the book not only easy to understand and follow, but also engaging. A good purchase for those who need a refresher or reference for real life credit related problems!
Book Description
A cutting-edge text on credit portfolio management
Credit risk. A number of market factors are causing revolutionary changes in the way it is measured and managed at financial institutions. Charles Smithson, author of the bestselling Managing Financial Risk, introduces a portfolio management approach to credit in his latest book. Understanding how to manage the inherent risks of this market has become increasingly important over the years. Credit Portfolio Management provides readers with a complete understanding of the alternative approaches to credit risk measurement and portfolio management. This definitive guide discusses the pricing and managing of credit risks associated with a variety of off-balance-sheet products such as credit default swaps, total return swaps, first-to-default baskets, and credit spread options; as well as on-balance-sheet customized structured products such as credit-linked notes, repackage notes, and synthetic collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). Filled with expert insight and advice, this book is a must-read for all credit professionals.
Charles W. Smithson, PhD (New York, NY), is the Managing Partner of Rutter Associates and Executive Director of the International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers (IACPM). He is the author of five books, including The Handbook of Financial Engineering and Managing Financial Risk (now in its Third Edition).
Amazon.com
There are plenty of heavily pedigreed personal-finance experts dishing out good advice, but not many who know what it's like to have to eat ramen all month to make a car payment. On the other hand, there's Mary Hunt, a recovered credit card addict whose free-spending ways landed her family in the middle of $100,000 of unsecured debt in the early 1980s. Pulling herself out of that morass gave Hunt the courage to strike out on her own as a writer, motivational speaker, and the brains behind The Cheapskate Monthly, a newsletter and Web site (www.cheapsk8.com) dedicated to promoting the art of living within one's means, a message that grows ever more urgent as the average American family struggles each year to pay $1,200 in interest alone on revolving, unsecured debt.
While Hunt's previous books have echoed some consistent themes--debt bad, saving good--they've addressed a hodgepodge of different areas: building financial confidence in women and kids, doing Christmas without a stack of credit cards, tips for gourmet cooking at low cost. In Mary Hunt's Debt-Proof Living, Hunt finally puts together a financial primer for all--whether retirees trying to decide when to start drawing Social Security or teenagers ready to sign for their first college loans. Security, according to Hunt, is built with simple tools: tithing, saving, paying off debt, creating a contingency fund for emergencies, driving used cars, owning a home, having insurance.
Although Hunt's "been there, spent that" zeal and warmth have turned her into the Ann Landers of personal finance, she's not just an agony aunt for spendthrifts--business experts will find her a savvy marketer who's using her name and story to build, somewhat ironically, a very effective brand. That doesn't negate her sincerity, however, or the fact that her advice is sound, her formulas work, and her Rapid Debt Repayment Plan has kept increasing numbers of families out of bankruptcy. And finally, Mary Hunt's Debt-Proof Living is just a joy to read--its clarity and lack of condescension make it a perfect gift for anyone just starting to understand the basics of money. --Barrie Trinkle
Book Description
Getting out of debt is only part of the plan. The reader learns how to give, save and build wealth using the Contingency Plan and Freedom Account along with the authors sound and proven principles.
Customer Reviews:
Jesus saves... and pays his credit card bills!.......2007-09-11
There is nothing original in the prescriptions Mary Hunt gives to eliminate debt. On the bright side, it is easy to read and takes almost no effort to understand. On the other hand, I found the references to God and Jesus nauseating. No doubt Ms. Hart loves her religion, but mixing her religious beliefs with the simplistic ideas detailed in this book doesn't add anything. Try "Managing Debt for Dummies".
Debt proof living.......2007-08-24
Everyone should read this book and follow her steps. This is a great way to get out of debt.
Best Budget and Money book out!.......2007-07-16
I first checked this out of the Library but after the third time decieded I needed my own copy. Positive and not degrading like some of the other budget cash only spokes persons.
This book will change your financial life!.......2007-02-24
Pros: Common sense advice that anyone can follow! It WILL help you get your finances in order and help you change your perspective about the monetary side of life. They should make this a mandatory class for high school and/or college students. The website is extremely useful, as well.
Cons: For me, it was disheartening that I could not put the spending plan into immediate action. For someone who is in serious trouble, the advice she suggests may seem too daunting and too difficult to follow. I do not think this is a flaw on Hunt's behalf, but is more an indicator that people with high debt who are spending beyond their means truly need to make more serious and drastic changes to their way of living.
I have posted my personal experience with Hunt's Debt-Proof Living for you if you'd like to read about the positive possibilities that following Hunt's plan offers.
I read Debt-Proof Living two years ago. At that time, we had about $30,000 in credit card debt, we were paying nearly $3000/month on our mortgage, and my husband and I were both driving around in gas-guzzling shiny vehicles. The financial strain was beginning to take it's toll, putting strain on our relationship, our health, and on every aspect of our life. We were living beyond our means, sinking fast, and I reached for this book in desperation.
We were unable to start the spending plan right away because we did not have money to start it with. Every paycheck that came in went right out to keep bills paid just barely on time. As Mary suggested, this was a warning sign that we were living beyond our means and would need to make more drastic changes in order to get to a financially secure place.
First, we traded in my gas-guzzler for about $9000 and I bought a more economical $4000 used car. I still have it, and other than routine maintenance, we have incurred no other cost with it. It also cut our gas expenses significantly. We used the money to make some home improvements so we could put our house on the market. Unfortunately, it took almost a year for our house to sell. All the while we were now falling behind on our mortgage payments and incurring even more credit card debt maxing them all out at $50,000 before it was all said and done.
We finally sold our 3 acre, 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom home last August, we sold a lot our stuff, or just got rid of it, and we moved to a much more modest 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom home, with a small back yard. (I LOVE it!) That cut our mortgage payment by more than half, not to mention cutting my cleaning time by half, too. I took on a part-time job and my husband picked up some extra hours.
This year, we finally got to the place where we could use our tax return to fuel the spending plan suggested by Hunt. It is working like a dream! No more credit cards. We pay cash. If we can't pay cash for something, then we don't get it. We have a savings cushion for unexpected and expected emergencies. This is how it should be. Everyone in my family is happier!
While we are not out of the woods yet with the debt we have accumulated, we can see the light! Even better, if we stick with the spending plan, we will have our home and all of our debt paid off in just 9 years, saving over $100,000 in interest. It will take discipline, but it will leave us with about $40,000 a YEAR just burning a hole in our savings account!
While a total of eleven years, including the two years it took us to get this far, might seem like a long time to get out of debt, had we taken no action, we would have lost our home, and eventually would die of old age and still have the debt! It makes eleven years seem easy!
By following the plan, I have learned just how materialistic and foolish I had been with money. I learned that my family is just as happy, if not happier, with much less "stuff" and space than we had. I have learned to view society in a whole new light, realizing that we are over indulgent and need so much less than we think we need.
What is most important to remember when reading this book is that it is simple, common sense advice for a long term plan. The results that may or may not be seen instantly depending on your individual situation. But ANYONE can improve their financial outlook by following the suggestions in this book.
Ultimately, this book does not give you a band-aid to fix the boo-boos. It gives you a cure!
Ideas that work for everyone!.......2007-01-07
This was one of the first books I read this year as part of my New Year's Resolution to get out of debt. Of all the financial debt books I've read, this one is fantastic. No matter what stage of debt you're in, Mary Hunt's ideas are workable. One of the reasons I liked this book so much is that it gives a simple, easy to follow plan and then backs it up. There are only so many debt books you can read that say: save for retirement! Don't rack up debt! Well, duh. Here's a way to actually deal with it.
Customer Reviews:
The easiest to read, most comprehensive debt book ever.......2007-05-07
I bought three debt books the last time I was at Amazon. They were all good, but this was the most comprehensive in easy to read format and sentences that it made things easy to develop a plan from this book. I already passed it on to two other people.
great information - but use with caution.......2006-12-14
This book is full of great information on high to prioritize your financial life in terms of debt reduction, retirement saving and other saving. But the advice assumes the reader has a fair amount of discipline (i.e., ability to budget and constrain extraneous spending). The book goes into great detail on how to balance debt reduction with maintaining financial flexibility, maintaining good FICO scores, etc. But far too many people who are deeply in debt (and seeking help from books like this) have a spending habit that needs more drastic surgery than this book gives. So, I would say this book gives outstanding advice, but only for a subset of the public who have the right discipline. For many folks, the more drastic "surgery" advocated by cheerleaders like Dave Ramsey will be more effective.
Thorough unbaised advice.......2006-02-03
I have known Liz Weston for years as a journalist and have always found her to be very thorough and no-nonsense. This book is no exception. It's well researched with unbaised and sensible strategies for dealing with debt. I had the opportunity to interview Liz on my internet radio show EverydayWealthRadio recently about the book and she clearly has great advice on this topic. She addresses things like 401k loan, pros and cons of different types of debt, and the common questions I hear from consumers,
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