ISSN 1538-6740
October 19, 2005 Issue 109

Tools for financial success! A Free Email Newsletter from DebtSmart Online and Press One Publishing.

Publisher: Scott Bilker
Editor: Larissa S. Bilker
Assistant Editor: Denise Troy

Cool Quote

"Money is just the poor man's credit card."
--Marshall McLuhan

Quotes from all previous newsletters

Letter from the Publisher 
by Scott Bilker

Hi,

Would you like to see DebtSmart articles in your local paper?

Can you do me a favor and help me get DebtSmart to your area? All you need to do is send an email, or snail mail, to your local newspaper and let them know that they can get the DebtSmart column for free! You can find a list of newspapers here.

Go to your newspaper’s website and look for their contact info. Then send an email, call, etc., to the main editor. Something like:

----------------------------------
Dear Editor,

I live in [YOUR TOWN HERE] and I’m an avid reader of your newspaper.

I’m writing to let you know about a column I’ve been reading for a while now called DebtSmart. It’s mostly online and I would love to see it in my local paper.

The good news is that the author is giving the column, at no cost, to print and other online publications. Please check it out and consider adding it to [NAME OF PAPER HERE].

You can read about it at:
http://www.debtsmart.com/column

Thanks!

Regards,
[YOUR NAME HERE]
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Thanks for your help in spreading DebtSmart!

Next thing I want to tell you about is that I’m still working on updating DebtSmart.com. It’s been about 20+ consecutive 12-hour days of programming so far. I’m hoping to have it completed by the next email newsletter launch, but we’ll see. It’s coming along well. More of the content will fill the page space and navigation will be easier.

The new format will allow me to add a greater number of items quickly. So, I can start new sections of the website containing organized resources like: recommended books, recommended links, legal references, video, and much more. Of course, the first step is updating the website, then working out the bugs, and then adding new content. My goal is to continue bringing you the best money saving information that can be found or created!

That’s all for now.

Scott out
PS: If you are interested in advertising with DebtSmart.com, please complete the form here.

How to punish your credit-card bank
by Scott Bilker

Has your credit-card bank ever made you angry? I mean really infuriated to the point where you just want a little revenge for how you were treated? The only problem is that you may feel at their mercy...like they're somehow superior.

Well, you know what?

They're not!

No single bank has a monopoly on that "green paper" called money. It's time to show them that if they don't treat you like the good customer you are, you're going to take your business elsewhere--in a big way. This point is well illustrated in a recent incident from my own personal consumer-credit experience.

Finish reading article

“Just as you promised the book paid for itself.”

Scott,

I wanted to thank you for sending me the three books for the price of the one (Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt)! Just as you promised, the book paid for itself. It did that in the very first phone call, plus I made approximately $4.00 extra! What a deal. Then yesterday, I saved another $39. (On a late fee from April, and it is now September.) And they dropped the interest on one of my credit cards. I feel so much more informed and empowered. Before I would attempt to negotiate with the companies to get rates lowered, but I had no knowledge base about how things really worked to call on. I'm no natural born negotiator.

This morning I was reading How To Be Credit Card and Debt Smart. My sons, ages 16 and 15, were getting ready for school while I was reading. I was so excited about what I'm learning that I wanted to share it with the boys. I wish that financial education taught using your methods would be mandatory before credit cards are issued to anyone below the age of 25 (really to anyone)--some program extensive enough to be comparable to the education and official tests for obtaining drivers' licenses.

Even if it was a seminar that you developed and brought to major cities in each state for a fee, I would pay for them to attend that and wouldn't mind attending myself.

Thank you very much for your work! God Bless You, and yours, and all who help you in your work!

Thanks for the newsletter, the website, and the books!

Sincerely,
Wendy Forester

Read about special offer for all three of Scott Bilker's best-selling books

Household Math™: Choosing a selling price
by Scott Bilker

Jack and Jill put their house on the market to sell when 30-year fixed mortgage rates were 8%. They listed their 3-bedroom ranch for $135,000 because they knew that the monthly payment is exactly what most people can afford.

Since that time, 30-year mortgage interest rates have fallen to 7%. Jack and Jill know that since mortgage rates have dropped, people can afford to pay more for their house with the same monthly payment they would get at the old, higher rate.

How much can Jack and Jill sell their house for now and keep the monthly payment as affordable as it was when they originally put the house up for sale?

Answer this problem

More credit, more options
by Scott Bilker

Credit options are your weapon against the banks! The key to success is using your credit lines to save money--not to go crazy spending! (I know you won't go crazy spending because you're DebtSmart, but I had to mention that anyway.)

I've found a few more good credit deals that I want to bring to your attention. If you have high-rate debt, then you should apply online now and transfer your balances to some of these cards. (Or search through the entire list.)

Pulaski Bank Visa®/MasterCard®
Intro Rate: 0.00%
Time Period: 6 Months
APR: 6.99%

Citi® Platinum Select® Card
Intro Rate: 0.00%
Time Period: Up to 12 Months
APR: As low as 8.49%

Chase Platinum Visa®
Intro Rate: 0.00%
Time Period: 12 Months
APR: 10.49%

Free Cash Rewards Platinum Visa® Card
Intro Rate: 0.00%
Time Period: 12 Months
APR: 11.24%

Search complete list of credit cards

How to save money on your phone service within minutes!
by Scott Bilker

You will save money using this service. I've been using it for a few months now, and it has worked perfectly for me! 1.9 cents per minute plus free minutes for signing up! I signed up for $25 and got the free minutes. So the total time I received was 1,578 minutes! That's 1.58 cents per minute!

By the way, when you sign up you get my DebtSmart Loan Calculator FREE (a $9.95 value).

Read more about phone savings

Reducing Your Mortgage
by Gary Foreman

Gary,

I once heard that you can cut a mortgage in half by simply making one extra payment per year. Is this true? And does this work with any loans like... car, personal and student loans?

Thanks.

Tanya P.

Finish reading article

DebtSmart® Help Center 
by Scott Bilker

Hi,

Helping you with your debt is very important to me personally! If you've been reading my articles, you know that I always encourage self-help as a first step. However, being buried in debt can be very overwhelming, which is why you may want to explore other options.

One of those options is professional, ongoing help with credit counselors. I've started to personally check out certain companies so I can recommend the ones that are worth considering!

If you would like to speak with a representative from a...

Read more at the DebtSmart Help Center

Cut Your Future Holiday Bills In Half
by Gregory Thomas

Most of us have a certain number of holidays that we celebrate each and every year. That means quite a number of extra "gifts" that will need to be purchased for family and friends.

In a bit, you will learn exactly when to get the best bargains on holiday merchandise, and how you can save quite a bit off your "gift" shopping bills.

Finish Reading Article

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The author(s), Press One Publishing, and DebtSmart.com shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in this email newsletter and/or at the DebtSmart.com web site. The information, methods and techniques described may not work for you and no recommendation is made to follow the same course of action. Every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of all content contained herein. However, there may be mistakes; typographical, mathematical, or in content. This email newsletter and the DebtSmart.com web site have been created for your entertainment only. You must always seek the proper professional advice before taking any financial or legal action. You have been warned.

Copyright ©2005 Press One Publishing. All rights reserved. Please do not reprint, or host on your web site, without explicit permission. However, if you found this newsletter helpful, we grant you permission, and strongly encourage you, to e-mail it to a business associate or a friend. Thank you.