I wrote a mock letter to Dave Ramsey several months ago lamenting the need to sell my car. Well, the deed is done. My baby is gone. And here’s why I’m better for it.

First, we were able to drastically reduce our monthly car payment.

Our car payment is 40.9% of what it was before. The extra money is going to pay off medical debt and the remaining car debt.

I love sleeping at night again.

Second, our car insurance went down.

But not for the reasons you think. We purchased an older car that is actually more expensive to insure at the same coverage level. However, since I didn’t like the prospect of higher insurance premiums (which reduced our cost savings), I spoke with a lot of insurers.

I had decided on American Family as it had the lowest rate, though still more expensive. Fortunately before signing up though, I remembered that Bear River Mutual (a local insurance company) supposedly had highly competitive rates. Come to find out, by switching my car and home owner’s insurance to Bear River, I saved about $20 a month over what I had before.

So if you haven’t checked in awhile, I recommend running some price comparisons on your auto and home owner’s insurance.

Third, we developed a bit more self-discipline through sacrifice.

I’ll be honest. I miss my SUV. I mean I really miss my SUV.

My lip trembles when other ones drive by.

But we made the responsible decision to forgo a car we really like for a less expensive car that we like, but still meets our needs. Making financially responsible decisions is difficult at times, but the rewards, both financially and emotionally, are tremendous.

Each time you make the “right” decision, the next time is easier. So what’s holding you back?

So Dave, what now?

Dave Ramsey teaches that to get out of debt you should sell so much stuff that the kids and dog think they are next. Here’s the list of items we’ve sold so far:

1. Hyundai Santa Fe
2. 32 inch LCD TV
3. Hard wood TV stand
4. DVD player
5. Printer
6. Palm Pilot

We’ve also donated a fair amount of clothing and other items that we didn’t want to sell but still let us de-clutter. Here’s a few more items on our list of things to sell:

1. Desktop computer (don’t worry, I still have a laptop)
2. Computer desk
3. Mini love sac
4. Possibly the house

To my wife’s chagrin, my golf clubs are not on the “to sell” list.

So what have you sold to get of debt or are not willing to sell? Let me know in the comments.

I had the opportunity to interview Jane White, author of America, Welcome to the Poorhouse. In this post, I intend to offer my review of the book as well as analyze her arguments and statements made in the interview.

Analysis of White’s Argument

Although White does an excellent job of raising the right red flags, there are several flaws in the changes proposed in her book. For the most part, I found that her argument lacks a strong understanding of economics as well as a false sense of entitlement.

For example, White proposes that companies be required to match 9% of an individual’s annual salary into a 401(k) plan. However, she fails to calculate the economic impact on companies. Further, she believes that any company with slim margins should layoff part of the staff in order to pay the 9% to others. Effectively, White will have slowed corporate growth and increased the unemployment rate.

Further, White strongly believes in the social contract or that the wealthy are responsible if not obligated to subsidize expenses such as college education for lower income tax payers. Why am I entitled to a part of the earnings of another individual? Now don’t get me wrong. It is my personal belief that individuals with excess income should seek out good opportunities to help others. However, I do not believe that the government has the right to dictate how that excess income is spent especially when you consider the inefficiencies in our government.

Further, White asserts that primary and secondary schools are free so college should be too. That comment is wholly unfounded in truth. For example, I paid my property taxes this past November. Approximately 90% of the bill went to the local primary and secondary schools. In fact, I will more than pay for the expenses associated with my children (especially since they are both under two).

White also asserts that corporations deceive Americans. She repeatedly refers to credit card promo offers and loans such as ARMs as bait and switch tactics by banks. Bait and switch assumes that an individual believes that he or she is receiving Good X when in fact Good Y is delivered. A credit card promo offer does not satisfy that condition. A promo offer is just that, a temporary promotional offer. There is no false representation. I do agree that too many individuals fail to fully appreciate the cost of the interest after the promo period, but that is the fault of the individual. Besides, the larger issue is why someone is using a credit card to begin with. If you do not use them, then a promo period is not really an issue.

Last, though certainly not least, White fails to estimate the financial and economic impact of the large tax burdens that she is proposing. In fact, she fails to recognize in several instances that a tax burden will even result from her proposed legislation. Case in point: She suggests that the government fund the 9% match for small companies. However, she denies that tax payers will have to fund the match. If that is not the case, then the government will have to simply print more money and cause inflation.

My Conclusion

I agree with White that change is greatly needed in America. We must change our spending and saving habits. White does a fine job laying out how we arrived at the situation in which we find ourselves. I also agree that there are bills that Congress should pass. However, I do not agree with what White is proposing. I believe that there are too many unresolved issues surrounding her suggestions that could be potentially detrimental to our economy and society.

I do not believe that the government is responsible for my or anyone else’s retirement. I believe that we as individuals need to make the necessary changes in our homes and not blame corporations or require the government (i.e. other tax payers) to bail us out.

Further, White suggests that we should expect the government and other tax payers to pay for our college education. Yet, she never suggests that families adequately save by using 529(b) accounts for example. As I mentioned at the beginning, White believes that the government, wealthy citizens, and corporations are responsible for our financial well-being and that we are mere victims without any power to prepare and pay for identifiable financial events ourselves.

In summary, this book speaks as if Americans are incapable of making good decisions and that we are constantly being lied to by corporations and politicians. While I am not so naive to think that either group always has my interest at heart, I do firmly believe that I am responsible for my own decisions. If I decide to use financial instruments such as credit cards or ARMs, then I am responsible for understanding the terms. If I do not understand, then I’m the fool for not asking more questions. I do not need the government to coddle me as White suggests.

But maybe you’ll disagree. I recommend reading White’s America, Welcome to the Poorhouse for yourself and arriving at your own opinion and conclusions. To purchase the book, visit Amazon.com.

Disclosure: I received a free issue of this book in order to write a review. I was in no other way compensated nor was I given any instructions per my review.

I have a real treat today. Seth Risenmay, the founder of MoneyDesktop.com, answered some questions from me and also graciously offered a promo code for a free 3 month trial of his product.

About MoneyDesktop

For anyone unfamiliar with MoneyDesktop, it’s an online tool to track your finances, plan for the future, and most importantly get out of debt. What’s unique about MoneyDesktop in a world of sites like Mint.com of PocketSmith.com is that the software auto-generates a plan using a variety of methods to help you get out of debt the most efficient way.

So for example, the ever-popular debt snowball is built in. Also, the less well known mortgage checking account method is also available. You the user are able to select the method that you are comfortable with, tie it into your overall budgeting and finances, and get out of debt faster.

Essentially, it’s a one stop financial wizard.

The Interview

RabbitFunds: Why did you decide to start MoneyDesktop?

Seth Risenmay: I started MD because I wanted to get America out of debt. We look at debt as THE greatest threat to the future of our country. When you think about it, our country has been able to defeat Nazism, Communism etc… and the one enemy that actually has a shot at bringing down our country is debt.

RF: Where did you come up with the idea for the feature set included in MoneyDesktop?

Seth: We had a database of 39,000 customers that gave us feedback on our product. We asked all of them this question; “What does this product need to be to give you the best chance of success?” From this market research we learned that America needed a product that did not then exist and so we set out to build it. It took 4 years and about $5 million to build but we feel confident that MD is the greatest debt and personal financial management tool in existence.

RF: What is different about MoneyDesktop as compared to Mint or PocketSmith?

Seth: The greatest difference between MoneyDesktop and any of our competitors is that it is first and foremost a debt tool. Other PFM’s are typically tools that help you track where your money went, but if that is all you do that would be like driving your car down the road backwards, you’ve only seen where you’ve been, not where you’re going. Some products and companies help you project the future and your debt payoff but since they don’t track where your money is going the projections are inaccurate. MoneyDesktop is the only company that looks to the past by tracking your spending, to help you project an accurate future for debt elimination, with real time in the present instructions in the form of text messages and emails. We also have systems to help people make decisions with financial intelligence, which no one else has. We also help people increase their discretionary income to help them get out of debt even faster. We do this by actually increasing their cash flow while lowering their bills and payments. All of this is unheard of to most PFM’s. I would say that we are one of, if not the only DPFM (debt and personal financial management).

RF: Are there any plans to make the service free like Mint?

Seth: We have thought a lot about offering our services for free like Mint. The problem is that we have found that if a person is not paying for a service they do not value it enough to actually implement it into their life and become successful. We wanted people to actually commit to their financial wellness. However, we also understand that there are a lot of people who desperately need MoneyDesktop who may need our services for free. Because of this, we have created a promotion called 3 for Free. If a user of MoneyDesktop is willing to help us in our mission to get America out of debt then we feel they have shown the commitment necessary to succeed and deserve to receive our services for free. If they refer 3 other people to MoneyDesktop our system will automatically track that and when 3 others have signed up the referrer will receive MoneyDesktop free for life!

As mentioned above, Seth was kind enough to offer a free 3 month trial to any RabbitFunds readers with a special reduced price of $14.95 afterwards. Just use the promo code “Rabbit” when you sign-up.

RF: What do you hope that users will achieve by using your site?

Seth: Total financial wellness. We want our users to become debt free, achieve financial freedom, gain financial intelligence, and become wise stewards of their money and wealth. And hopefully by using the 3 for Free feature they can help start a community of people committed to getting out of debt which will help strengthen our country and in a lot of preserve what we know as America for generations to come.

RF: How has using the software helped your own family?

Seth: I know where every penny goes, I know when every debt will be eliminated and I have piece of mind knowing that I am being a wise steward of the things I’ve been blessed with. It has helped me eliminate all of my debt with a little left on my home still to go.

RF: What upgrades or changes can users expect to see in the coming 6-12 months?

Seth: With tax season upon us we are adding features that will allow a person to easily organize their finances for tax season with their CPA. We are also adding added benefits of ID protection and Credit Monitoring. Other companies like LifeLock will charge you upwards of $10 per month for each of those services, we are close to having those services provided to our subscribers at no additional fee as an added benefit of using MoneyDesktop. We are also redoing the set up wizard for a more simple and effective setup to get people using it more efficiently.

For More Info

Thank you Seth for your time. If you have any questions or would like to see more then visit MoneyDesktop.com or follow them on Twitter at @MoneyDesktop.

Our nation has been facing for more than a year now, one of the worst housing price decreases in history. Yet for some reason, many people seem to be confusing how this happened.

Let me give you an example. Obama has structured a Loan Modification program for individuals suffering “financial hardship” but desire to keep their home. U.S. News last March aptly described 7 key facets of the program. Apparently, homes worth up to $729,750 are eligible for the program. Last time I checked, a 3/4 of a MILLION dollars home is only a home that someone with a large, stable income should purchase.

But for some reason, that isn’t part of the American Dream. The American Dream has become to acquire big homes and toys incurring insurmountable debt. The Loan Modification program adjusts the interest rate on homes facing default down to 2%. If that is not enough, then the term of the loan is extended to 40 years. If that is still not enough, then the bank stops charging interest.

The goal of the program is to lower the monthly payment to 31% (actually 38% and the government, i.e. taxpayers, pay down the other 7%) of the individual’s gross monthly income.

How did we actually end up with this problem?

I recognize that regardless of how we arrived here, we are here either way. But let’s be honest for a moment. The interest rate is not the problem, neither are falling home prices. Irresponsible and hasty adults purchased homes that they could have never feasibly afforded and greedy banks made the loans.

Warren Buffett echoed my sentiments when he stated, “Commentary about the current housing crisis often ignores the crucial fact that most foreclosures do not occur because a house is worth less than its mortgage (so-called “upside-down” loans). Rather, foreclosures take place because borrowers can’t pay the monthly payment that they agreed to pay.”

I once heard a banker describe the situation from the banker’s perspective. He explained that banks made the loans based on two erroneous assumptions. Assumption #1 – Owning a home is the American Dream and no one would ever default on the American Dream. Assumption #2 – Even if the value of the home is less than the size of the loan, home prices always go up and the home won’t be under water for long.

Well my friend, Americans are just mini-businesses. When expenses exceed income, then home owners chose to close up shop and foreclose.

This is the point where I say, “Is this a sick joke?!”

Let me make sure I understand this correctly. I carefully analyzed my financial situation and purchased a home that I can afford without financial stress. Now, 1000s of irresponsible home owners are going to financially benefit from being careless, greedy, or both.

For example, one of our neighbors qualifies for the Loan Modification program. In fact, it will lower their monthly payment so much, that they are going to buy and move into a second larger home and profitably rent out the first. Now do not forget that we are paying for that 7% decrease. I’m pretty sure that’s just not right. (Caveat: I don’t think they’ll ever qualify for the second mortgage)

The Real American Dream – We started a business

Last year, my wife and I were facing some unexpected bills. Instead of turning to the government and taxpayers, we started a business. We were able to pay for all of our needs and are expecting a good second year. That’s the American Dream – the ability to change your situation if you work hard.

So this is my resignation from responsibility. Why should I work hard, pay my taxes, make good decisions, and watch while others benefit from irresponsibility?

Isn’t this eerily like middle school?

I feel like I’m in middle school again. I was always amazed that the delinquents, the kids skipping classes and starting fights always had privileges and praises that the good kids never received. I recall a program that allowed poor performing kids to slightly raise their GPA and then receive public awards and rewards for mediocrity. Or remember the rebel or football player with a D average that always dated the cheerleaders. He used each one of them and then moved onto the next.

Why is our welfare system structured after the social intricacies of pubescent 15 year olds?

So I’m done. I’m done producing. I’m done being responsible. Why not simply do whatever I want and then wait for a social program to be structured to remove the consequences of my actions? Welcome to the new American Dream.

I like marketing. I market my website. I market myself to potential employers. I marketed myself to my wife and she fortunately bought. I believe marketing helps us gain knowledge of products, services, and opportunities that we might not have otherwise known about.

I believe marketers spend everyday trying to open our heads and rewire us to buy their stuff. I’m not cynical and I don’t think they are evil or bad people. However, as consumers we need to understand that they want our money and that it is Us vs. Them. My six reasons.

1) Discount pricing is a marketing ploy

I spent some time working at a major, national retailer. I’m not interested in pointing fingers, so let’s just call it Brand X. While working at Brand X, I was involved in many pricing conversations and observed the pricing process. We all know that stores use discount pricing as a means to incentivize you to buy now. I didn’t understand how deep that really runs though. For example, if a shirt or sweater costs the company $10 and they know from historical reports that consumers typically will only buy it at a price of $20, then they price it at $40. That way, they can discount it at 50% (oh my gosh! oh my gosh! oh my gosh!) and it will sell at the expected price of $20. Meaning, they don’t even expect you to pay $40! If you do buy it at $40, then you just lost. If you purchase at $20, not because you need the item but because you can’t pass up that great price, then you just lost.

2) They make us ask permission to buy from them

I’m borrowing this reason from Dave Ramsey and don’t take the credit myself. Banks, car dealerships, etc need us to buy from them in order for them to make money. And yet, we find ourselves asking them, and almost pleading at times, to take our business. They tell us that we’ve been “approved” so that we feel part of the club. “Honey, great news! The bank approved of us.” They put on a great dog and pony show to make us anxious that we might not get the “deal.” Stop and realize what is really being sold. Often, what’s being sold is enslaving amounts of debt. Liabilities, like cars, that masquerade as assets don’t make you happy. Money in the bank and peace of mind make you happy. Walk away next time someone tries to get you to say, “Please, can I have your stuff? Please, can I buy some debt?”

3) Research, research, research

Marketers spend a considerable amount of time learning their trade and then studying consumers’ behavior. Any good professional would. They track and analyze your buying and browsing behaviors, study psychology, and attempt to gain an intimate understanding of you. This is a double-edged sword. For example, Zappos.com is very customer centric. They are almost obsessively customer centric. They use an intimate knowledge of customers to better meet customers’ needs. But at the same time, these marketing departments use this knowledge to optimize the entire buying process to get you to buy. So what am I saying? Simply that marketers are constantly gaining new information about us and using that information to create extremely enticing advertisements. Just to put this effort into perspective, advertisers are expected to spend $242 BILLION on ads in 2009 alone. They have to recoup that investment and they expect to have us, the consumers, foot the bill. Don’t buy just because of the shiny ad.

4) They use fancy or technical names that confuse the issue

As the title suggests, a rowing machine is now a “1205 Precision Rower,” which sounds much cooler. Another example is the 12b-1 fee charged by some mutual fund companies. Rule 12b-1 was adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1980 and allows fund companies to pay for sales and marketing activities by charging you a fee. This is in addition to the normal or stated expense ratio. It bothers me that fund companies charge consumers a marketing fee but don’t call it that. I understand that the name is derived from the SEC rule, but it is misleading to novice investors who are just starting out. Just call it a marketing fee so we can decide if we want to pay it.

5) “Where’s the pain?”

Another double-edged sword. A good marketer asks and answers the question, “Where’s the pain?” If a marketer can understand the problem a consumer faces, then he or she can develop a campaign or product that addresses that problem. Target pharmacy bottles are an excellent example of a marketer adding value to a product. Several years ago, Target redesigned its pharmacy bottle to make it easier to open, identify the prescription, and know to which family member the prescription belongs using color coded cap rings. The added convenience is worthwhile. On the other end of the spectrum, think about all of those late night infomercials. They offer solutions to common problems via their products. But stop and think to yourself, “Yes the Magic Bullet makes life a little easier for me, but my blender works just fine. So I don’t really need it even though it is newer, nicer, faster, etc.” In other words, they may be offering something that solves a problem, but you just may not really need the problem solved (at least not at the expense of your retirement). So next time you go to buy a product that you really don’t need, decide to put the money into your retirement account instead.

6) Illegitimate or illegal marketing schemes

I don’t want to dwell much on this topic since my purpose with this post is to address legitimate marketing efforts. However, there are a lot of marketers of ill repute out there attempting to bypass the law and cause you to lose your money. If you suspect that an offer is too good or just doesn’t seem right, please avoid it. Also, you can check sites such as Scam.com, ScamBusters.org, Snopes.com, or the Better Business Bureau to see if others have reported the offer as a scam.

Conclusion

Let me reiterate an important point – I have nothing against marketers. I know a lot of them. They have families, homes, dogs, and probably some consumer debt themselves. But buyer beware. Every institution, firm, corporation, etc must maintain a healthy revenue stream and that revenue has to come from someone. See it as a game. You are allotted X number of dollars each month to support yourself and your lifestyle. Marketers setup storefronts where you can choose to spend your dollars. At the end of the game, the person or store with the most dollars wins. The more you keep to yourself, the greater your odds are of winning.

Let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree.

I decided to take Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. My work was offering to pay for the course and I’m always anxious to learn something new about financial planning. As part of the class materials, I received Dave’s book Financial Peace Revisited. Having now read the book, I’d like to offer my observations.

Pros

First, if you are unfamiliar with many financial planning techniques or why you should be budgeting, saving, or getting out of debt in the first place, then this is an excellent guide. The range of topics covered are not exhaustive but an excellent start to cleaning your financial house. If you are already budgeting and investing, then consider this book a re-motivator or a little “pick me up.” I was able to find several areas where my wife and I are improving our financial situation as a result of this book.

Second, I’m a Christian and I appreciated the religious tone that Dave uses. I personally believe that we will be held accountable for our money management and Dave uses scripture frequently to illustrate his points. If you are not a Christian, don’t be scared off. He keeps the religious comments to a minimum.

Cons

First, the book was originally written in the 1990s and updated and released again in 2003. The concepts and principles that Dave teaches are certainly timeless. However, I believe that some of the techniques that he teaches are outdated. For example, all of the budgeting is completed by hand on paper. Fortunately, his book comes with convenient forms to use. However, this is 2009 and budgeting software packages are readily available and inexpensive. I can understand that many people didn’t have computers in the 1990s and that budget software wasn’t that advanced. But Quicken and Mint.com are both excellent options. Or heck, you can even use Microsoft Excel pretty effectively if you don’t mind updating your spreadsheet manually. Either way, some of the information and approaches could and should be updated.

Also, there are two chapters that in conjunction raise an issue that I have with the book. The chapters titled “Only Buy Big, Big Bargains” and “Career Choice” are good chapters touching on important points. However, they both suggest that you need to find a career where you can make lots of money and then go buy lots of nice, potentially expensive stuff with cash. I don’t think there is anything wrong with nice stuff, especially if you are paying cash and not going into debt for it. But Dave suggests that that path is the right and only one. I disagree and here is why. My wife and I are considering several graduate school options. One route would land me in a lower paying job that provides much higher satisfaction while the other option we are considering offers much more money but may be less satisfying. According to Dave, picking the satisfying career (so the first option) will generate more money. In my case, that’s just not true. Further, just because I can afford a $100k car, doesn’t mean I should buy one despite how good of a deal I get on it. I think Dave still has a focus on a lot of material things. Fortunately, he teaches you how to pay cash for those things.

Last, Dave gives a basic overview of the mechanics and fees of mutual funds. I was surprised that he didn’t cover passively managed index funds or how to construct a simple, diversified portfolio (which he could write a whole book on). Also, I personally believe that the average investor never needs to purchase a fund that has a load (fee to purchase it). Dave suggests that there are certain load bearing funds worth owning but never describes the criteria for knowing when a load bearing fund is worth owning. Again, I believe that unless you have a reasonable understanding of the market, mutual funds, and how to construct a strong portfolio, then stick with no load funds. In fact, stick to index funds from companies like Vanguard or Fidelity.

Summary

All and all, the book is a good, an easy read, and offers practical suggestions. Even though it appears that I had more negative than positive to say, my negative points are minor issues. On a scale of 1 to 5, I’d give it a solid 3.5. If you’d like to see additional reviews and comments or to purchase the book, check it out on Amazon.com.

I decided to write this post in the form of a letter to Dave Ramsey:

Hey Dave,

My company decided to offer your Financial Peace University course to any employees interested. Always hoping to learn more and better my financial situation, I signed up. In your latest lesson, you spoke about dumping debt and specifically advised people to sell stuff.

Well Dave, I’ve started to sell my stuff. For example, my wife and I aren’t big TV watchers. In fact, the only TV show we regularly watch is Fox’s Dollhouse and we almost always watch it on Hulu.com. So we sold the TV…the TV Dave. I’m not sure what all the ramifications are yet of that decision, but I’m hoping that my family will be better off with less digital garbage coming in. One thing you didn’t talk about though was getting a good deal for all the stuff I’m out selling. In my haste and desire to cleanse my home and earn some extra cash, I completely undersold the TV. A nice, young college student and his roommates are now enjoying my TV at a hefty discount. I loved getting the subsequent five phone calls that day asking about the TV. Each person willing to pay more than what I sold it for. So you might want to tell your viewers/readers that they should get excited about selling stuff, but don’t get stupid about it. Do you know anyone that wants a nice, solid wood TV stand from IKEA?

While we are on the subject Dave, I’m not sure where the selling stops. For example, I preempted my wife this week by telling her that “the golf clubs stay!” So what if I’ve only used them once in the last two years. Doesn’t that just make me an average golfer? Actually, I would golf more if my wife weren’t so bad at it that she refuses to go. The one time I used them last year was when she went to her brother’s wedding out East. I went golfing twice that week – it was a good week. So my point is, you told me to sell, sell, sell. But do you offer any guidelines? I would sell anything that I owe money on to pay it off, but that’s only my car and my house – and the house stays.

So Dave, that leaves my car. I’ve only had my car for six months, and I love my car. I drive a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. I haven’t driven an SUV for years and I’m not sure that I’m ready to make the mini-van commitment. My kids don’t play soccer yet, so what does driving a mini-van say about me? Of course, I sure wouldn’t mind a reduced car payment. It’s not that I can’t afford it, but I sure could do other things with that money. So I did a little research online and I’m pretty sure I can get more than what I owe on my car. But the problem now is finding a cheaper car that is big enough for my family and double stroller. I found a 2005 Town & Country for sale but it has 98k miles on it. Come on Dave, 98000 miles! And that’s the best deal I’ve found so far in a price range that makes selling my car and getting another one worth it. So do you have any advice to go along with your simplified statement of “sell the car”?

What I’m saying Dave is that we are trying. We are filling Craigslist with more stuff for people to buy (which doesn’t that encourage this problem for other people?). However, I would appreciate it if you could answer three questions: (1) Am I being a good guy and helping someone out if I undersell my stuff, or should I get every penny for it that I can since I’m using it to pay off my debt? (2) Do you have any guidelines on what I should and should not sell? At what point have I sold my life? Notice I didn’t say “lifestyle.” (3) You said in your video not to get a clunker, but you were adamant about selling the car. So where’s the happy medium? I can find a cheap commuter car no problem, but a quality, cheap family vehicle is harder to find.

Dave, I like you. And I like your course, even if I don’t agree with everything. I also think we could all do with a little less stuff in our lives and homes and on our credit accounts. I’ll let you know how it all turns out once the selling spree ends.

Regards,

Adam “I’m keeping the clubs” Williams

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If you’ve taken Dave’s courses or have read his books, what are your experiences with selling stuff? Any good answers for my questions? Let us know in the comments.

This is a guest post by One Advice at oneadvice.co.uk. One Advice is one of the longest established debt solutions practices in the UK. They offer a full range of financial solutions all under one roof offering ethical debt advice and allowing clients to find a financial management plan which best suits their needs.

Seeking debt advice is no longer uncommon in today’s society, and the number of people who are seeking debt advice is growing more and more. This problem is worldwide as well; the average amount of debt owed by every UK adult now stands at a staggering £30,480 (including mortgages).

There are a number of debt management companies out there which are designed to help you with your debt. But do you really need debt advice or can you get back on the financial track alone?

Is it time for debt advice?

The credit crunch means that more people are under pressure from creditor demands due to increasing levels of personal debt. This is why there has been an increase in those who are seeking debt advice.

0% balance transfers: If you have multiple debts which you can’t seem to get rid of because of the interest and charges which are being added, you may want to think about a 0% balance transfer. Keep your eye out for offers as these are becoming rarer since the onset of the credit crunch and you will have to have a decent credit rating to be accepted. Also remember that the 0% interest is usually only for a promotional term, so think about whether or not you could afford to pay off this debt in this time scale.

Budgeting: One of the key reasons that many of us end up with unaffordable levels of debt is because of a lack of budgeting and spending more than their income. Getting a budget in place is a great way of understanding your true outgoings against your income and working your way to becoming debt free. It will allow you to cut back in the places where you are spending too much and rework your budget to use this money to pay off your debt.

If you find that your finances are in a mess and your debt repayments mean that you cannot afford to maintain a reasonable standard of living, perhaps you really do need to seek professional debt advice…

I REALLY Need Debt Advice

If you find it a struggle to deal with your debts and you feel as though professional debt advice is the only way forward, then you need to ensure that you get the right sort of debt advice so that you can work towards getting your finances back in order.

The internet can be a great place to start looking for debt advice. There is a wealth of debt advice available online (please be aware of the difference between debt advice from other countries, as the policies can vary).

One of the financial solutions which you may come across includes a debt management plan. A debt management plan is a debt solution for those who are struggling to repay their unsecured debt. This type of debt management allows you to consolidate debt without getting any further loans. You make a reduced payment to the debt management company based on what is affordable to you.

Remember that everyone’s financial circumstances differ, and even if you know someone who cleared debt through bankruptcy, this may not be the right solution to your debt problem. Always make sure that you get professional debt advice from a company who places its emphasis in giving ethical debt advice.

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So what do you think? Would you recommend debt counseling?

When Grandpa Michael started his business several decades ago, he borrowed money from Uncle George. Business went well, but the relationship soured. In fact, the relationship ended after years of fighting over money and just how much Uncle George should earn. I learned from observing this experience that family and business don’t always mix. As a result, I’ve often asked myself, “Self, should family ever be involved in my finances?” My general reaction is to say no. However, there is a bigger picture to consider. In certain situations, my answer changes to, “Well, yes.”

In the last few years, the Internet has seen the rise of social lending. For those of you unfamiliar with social lending, it’s when you receive a loan from someone other than a bank. So every time you ask your roommate to lend you $20 so you can go to that concert, you just participated in social lending. Sites such as LendingClub.com and PertuityDirect.com have formalized the process and allow nearly anyone to participate. Another big hitter in this market is VirginMoney.com. Sir Richard started his empire through a loan from his aunt. He now wants to help other individuals secure a loan from family or friends in order to start a business, pay off some debt, go to school, or even pay for their home.

So why use social lending, especially if the money comes from family, instead of obtaining a traditional loan from a brick and mortar bank?

1. Maybe you don’t credit qualify. We have all made mistakes and that might reflect on your credit report. Social lending provides an opportunity that might not otherwise exist.
2. You may find a better rate. Certain social lending sites, such as LendingClub, set the interest rate on each loan based on the credit history of each loan applicant. However, VirginMoney allows you to negotiate the rate yourself if you know the person(s) funding the loan. So if a bank offers you 10% on a personal loan, Grandpa Michael might agree to 8% (he knows you’re good for it).
3. Family wealth, or money passed on through the generations in your family, is difficult to maintain when you pay so much of it to financial institutions. Most of us want to leave assets or money to our children (whether that be funds to be used specifically for college tuition or a first home purchase or just good old hard cash). Either way, we cannot pass on what we have given to banks. By borrowing from family, you keep it in the family and encourage the growth of family wealth.

But what about mixing family and finances? Sure, it sounds like a good idea to keep money in the family, but what if you risk repeating what happened with Uncle George? This part is tricky. How you answer that question for yourself depends a lot on your relationship with family members. Though, I do have a few simple suggestions. First, keep the term of the loan short (2-4 years) if you believe problems may arise. Grandpa Michael and Uncle George were business partners for 30 years. Second, if you use a social lending site, then your payments are set, scheduled, and can be automated. Meaning, Dad doesn’t have to wonder when the payment is coming. And last, do not borrow money without a legitimate reason. This may seem obvious but consider the current economic condition and how we arrived here. There is a difference between needing a new car because you have outgrown the old one and needing a 2010 Escalade. If you overextend yourself with family, they may or may not be more forgiving than a bank.

In short, borrowing from family via a formalized process helps you receive the financing you need and has the added benefit of growing family wealth. Though as with any loan, ask yourself this question first, “Do you really need the money and can you afford the payments without a high risk of overextending yourself?”

So have you or would you borrow a substantial sum of money from family? Leave your comments below.

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(This post was featured in the Carnival of Personal Finance – History of College Footbal Edition)

A few years ago, I was sitting at my desk at work when I received an email alert from Equifax. Concerned, I opened the email and found that a collections agency had just popped up on my credit report. My first thought was, “Who is trying to collect from me?” My second thought was, “There goes my credit score.” Since I hadn’t been contacted by the collections agency and I was unaware of any outstanding debts, I was left completely confused and wondering what to do.

An illegitimate collections account

After checking my report, I found the name and contact information for the agency. Since my first response to pretty much anything is to Google it, I immediately searched for NCO/Fin 99 (the name of the agency). The search yielded a lengthy list of complaints against the agency. Apparently, they had many reports of fraud and predatory business practices. Not wanting to be a victim of fraud, I spent time researching how to resolve the issue and remove the account from my credit report (which should be a high priority).

After following the advice that I received online, fighting the claim, and waiting several months, the collections agency decided not to pursue me and removed the account from my credit report. To this day, I have been unable to determine what debt it was that I allegedly had not paid.

Steps to resolving a collection account

I have outline below the steps that I followed to have the delinquent account removed from my credit report. If a collections account happens to surprise you one sunny afternoon, this same process should help guide you through remediation.

1. Obtain as much information about the company and debt as possible. For example, you will need at least the name and mailing address of the company, the amount of the debt, and the account number. Your credit report should contain all of this information. Other useful information is the original creditor (helps you determine if the account is legitimate).
2. Write a letter to the collections agency requesting verification of the debt and that they cease attempting to collect the debt until verification is provided. I have placed below an example letter that you can use. Just fill in the blanks, sign, and send it off via certified mail and return receipt (you want to have a record that you have contacted them).
3. At this point, the agency will either stop pursuing you and remove the account from your credit report or send you verification of the debt which should include additional information.
4. If you receive verification of the debt, then the next step is to negotiate settlement and the removal of the account from your credit report. You do not want the account to linger on your report and damage your credit score. Contact the agency via phone or certified mail telling them that you are willing to settle the debt if they remove the instance from your credit report (this request is known as “paying for deletion”). Once they agree, try to get the agreement in writing.
5. Next, pay the debt. I am not advocating or telling anyone to avoid paying debts that are rightfully yours. If you incurred the debt, then take responsibility and pay it. Having said that, try to negotiate with the collections agency to reduce or remove any late fees or interest penalties so you only owe the principal amount.
6. Monitor your credit report to see if the account is removed. If you find that the account has not been removed, then dispute it directly with the credit bureau letting them know that the situation was resolved and the collections agency had agreed to remove the account.

A legitimate collections account

Recently, I received another notification that I had a collections account on my credit report. Knowing the hassle I had had several years ago, I expected more of the same. After sending the validation or verification letter, I received notice that I did indeed have a past due debt. Three years earlier, my wife (fiancé at the time) had illegally parked my car and received a parking ticket. We were married a short time later and forgot about the ticket in all of the excitement. We now owed over $100 for a $30 ticket. My wife called the agency, explained the situation, and they reduced the amount to $60. They also agreed to remove the account from my credit report. We happily paid, the account was removed, and my credit report remains clean of any blemishes today.

For more information on how your credit score is calculated and how you can increase or maintain it, read “How I had an 800 FICO score at age 24“.

Example Validation or Verification Letter

[Date]

[Company Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State Zip Code]

Re: Account Number: [Account Number]
Amount of Claimed Debt: $[Amount]

Greetings:

I am writing to give you notice under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act that I dispute the above-referenced debt and request that you verify it. I also request that you provide me with the name and address of the original creditor and copies of all documents which pertain to the above-referenced account and the alleged debt.

This letter shall also serve as a reminder that you must cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until you obtain verification of the debt and the name and address of the original creditor and mail that information to me.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

[Your Name and Sign Above]