Consumers today are up to their eyeballs in debt. And many people don't realize it until their good credit has been devastated.
As a result, many credit repair agencies are popping up all over the internet, on television and in the newspapers making sweeping guarantees that they can erase your bad credit and remove bankruptcies, judgments, liens, and bad loans from your credit history - forever!
Consumers are flocking to these credit repair clinics in droves. However, estimates show that credit repair companies have defrauded consumers in the United States alone out of more than fifty million dollars.
The truth of the matter is that depending on the extent of the damage to your credit history, the best strategy could be a self help strategy - not giving away hundreds or even thousands of dollars in up-front fees to an agency that in the end may do nothing to restore or improve your credit.
After researching the topic quite extensively, I found one great method that works well for some people is a method I call "beating the credit reporting bureaus at their own game".
I report about it in more detail on my Prepaid Debit Card Site (www.debit-card-guide.com), however, in brief, this strategy involves taking advantage of signing up for prepaid debit cards which offer a built-in credit reporting feature.
A prepaid debit card is a great solution for a lot of people because the money you spend is your own and in most cases you cannot spend over the amount you have in your account.
This is a good solution for people who may have had difficulties with debt or bankruptcy in the past because a prepaid debit card is a great tool for developing invaluable financial management and budgeting skills.
A major bonus of some prepaid debit cards today is that during the sign-up process you are offered an opportunity to sign up for an additional service that will help you rebuild a bad credit history by having your monthly payments reported to one or more of the major credit reporting agencies.
Subsequently, each month your card's issuer credit reporting partner will process your payment record and verify that your payment is properly posted to the credit bureaus' records.
There is a small additional fee involved for this service each month, however, the fees are minimal by comparison to the sometimes outrageous fees and interest payment some credit card companies charge people with bad credit.
This fee is usually billed to you through your prepaid card each month and enables you to show a continuous history of activity within the credit system.
These prepaid debit cards help you rebuild your credit so you can get on with your life and is just one of the many self-help strategies that I recommend.
To learn more about rebuilding your credit through the use of a prepaid debit card simply do a search in one of your favorite search engines for prepaid debit cards or visit www.debit-card-guide.com for more specific card information.
Copyright 2005. For more information about Prepaid Debit Cards, check out THE definitive guide to prepaid debit cards of all kinds including: prepaid mastercards, payroll debit cards, debit gift cards, virtual credit cards, offshore, US and international debit cards, at: http://www.debit-card-guide.com
What are the avenues available to businesses with weak credit... Read More
A consumer credit report is a factual record of an... Read More
Your credit rating / credit score is based upon how... Read More
"Erase Bad Debt !""Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report"You've... Read More
These five debt negotiation facts along with a few debt... Read More
Consumers reject financial advice in favour of financial frivolityIt would... Read More
Parents have the full responsibility for their children and their... Read More
For people with a spotty credit history or bad credit,... Read More
There will come a day when you need credit. You... Read More
Bad Debt IdentificationIdentifying bad debt is not as easy as... Read More
The process of clearing credit can be laborious and frustrating.... Read More
To reduce or minimize the risk of becoming a victim... Read More
Just when most people finish with school and can stop... Read More
Your credit score may just be a little number, but... Read More
By now, you have undoubtedly heard of credit card fraud,... Read More
Once you've been paying off a credit card for a... Read More
Understanding credit report scores is important when you see your... Read More
When you apply for credit one of the first things... Read More
STUDENT CREDIT CARDS With graduate debt averaging... Read More
What is Credit? Credit is money granted by a lender... Read More
You've decided to apply for a Citi MasterCard, but with... Read More
Credit cards are just so convenient, aren't they? There's no... Read More
1) Do your homework. Applying for and getting approved for... Read More
If you've ever applied for a credit card or loan,... Read More
With identity theft statistics currently at an all time high,... Read More
Credit is currently and has been historically an integral component... Read More
A credit score is most commonly known as a FICO... Read More
Building a good credit history is important. If you have... Read More
The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union... Read More
Not everyone has a positive experience with credit counseling. Potential... Read More
Identity theft statistics are shocking. And we are told that... Read More
Most families in America today have a credit card; some... Read More
Here's a simple system on how to pay zero interest... Read More
We spend money every single day on many different types... Read More
According to the September 2004 issue of the Nilson Report,... Read More
Can you establish good business credit if you have bad... Read More
Is identity theft really that serious? Thousands of people every... Read More
Your credit score can either haunt you or reward you.... Read More
What is Credit?Credit is the backbone and the engine behind... Read More
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, signed into law... Read More
Have you ever wondered how much money a credit card... Read More
We've all seen the ads on television or in magazines,... Read More
You've decided to apply for a Citi MasterCard, but with... Read More
Here are some useful tips on using credit cards. Whether... Read More
Everyone hates late fees and being late will cost you... Read More
The Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is designated to... Read More
In addition to the APR (annual percentage rate) and the... Read More
For years, major credit card companies have allowed cardholders to... Read More
I remember back when I was 18 and completely oblivious... Read More
The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union... Read More
Credit Credit |