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DEBTSMART EMAIL NEWSLETTER - Tools for financial success!
A Free E-Mail Newsletter from DebtSmart Online and Press One Publishing.
ISSN 1538-6740
January 16, 2002 Issue 17
Scott Bilker, Editor and Publisher, mailto:publisher@debtsmart.com
Richard Crammer, Editor, mailto:editor@debtsmart.com
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For instructions to SUBSCRIBE, and DISCLAIMER, see bottom of this email.

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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> Cool Quotes

=> Letter from the Publisher

=> Survey: Financial Education

=> Many Questions...Many Answers

=> Debt Makeover

=> Advertisers

=> Building Credit

=> The Rule of Three

=> DebtSmart Resources

=> Subscribe/Disclaimer Information
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If you haven't already done so, please forward this issue to one or two of your friends or business associates. *****************************************************************

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COOL QUOTES

"There's also consumer debt, the credit card debt that burdens many of the working families in America. Yes, we talk about national debt, and we're paying a lot down. But you're fixing to hear me tell you part of the remedy for people who have got a lot of credit card debt is to make sure people get some of their own money back."

--President George W. Bush 3/9/2001

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Letter from the Publisher
by Scott Bilker

Here come the bills!

Any day now, if it hasn't happened already, you'll be receiving the first credit card statements from the holiday spending.

DebtSmart Strategies:

SURVEY RESULTS
Since I have many credit cards I receive many, many low-rate offers. I asked everyone about their offers last email newsletter and here's what you said:

How many credit-offers did you receive in the mail today? (15% received 1 offer, 25% received 2 offers, and 35% received 3 or more offers)

How many offers are for new credit cards? (20% received 1 offer, 25% received 2 offers, and 25% received 3 or more offers)

How many offers are for lower rates on your current accounts? (30% received 1 offer, 20% received 2 offers, and 50% received 3 or more offers)

The best offers are probably going to be on your existing accounts. They'll also be the banks that are sending you the most offers because it's less costly to convert a current customer to a new offer than to obtain new customers.

My best offer ever came last week. It's 13 months of 0% on $12,500 for a one-time $50 fee! That's an APR of approximately 0.37% [(100*12*((50/12500)/13))%]!

DEBT MAKEOVER
Are you interested in working with me personally to save money on your debt? Read more about it in this issue of the email newsletter.

CREDIT COUNSELING
Just the other day I was speaking with my long-time friend, Chris Peruzzi about his recent financial experiences. What happened is that he decided to work with a credit-counseling agency last year to improve his credit, but just the opposite occurred. Look for the details of his story in next DebtSmart Email Newsletter.

READER COMMENTS
Thank you again for all your wonderful comments!

"Keep up the good work..." --Andy

"I love your newsletter. My husband and I put a hold on our credit reports so the banks don't get our information anymore and we don't get the 500 a day offers." --Leslie

"You rock! My resolution for 2002 is to-pay-down-the-damn-Visa- balance-even-though-I-have-a-9.9%-fixed-rate-Platinum-Capital- One-card!!!" --Kim

"I love the newsletter. It is very informative about debt reduction, as well as, realistic about debt and the fact that people have it." -- Darryl

"I love your newsletter...keep up the good work! :o)" -- Angela

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Survey: Financial Education

Do you think that a mandatory personal-finance/money-management course in high school would have helped your financial life and skills today?

One more thing: We are having another best story contest in today's issue. Please write about your personal experiences involving kids, including yourself when you were young, and credit. The best stories will be included in future e-mail newsletters. Thanks.

Take the survey and enter the contest by using the below link:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?06&7428 

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Many Questions...Many Answers 
by Scott Bilker

I want to thank everyone who watched my interview on CN8 in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware on January 3rd, 4th, and 7th! The show is "Real Life" hosted by Mary Amoroso and it airs at 6:00 PM daily.

After each show I received many great questions and most of the viewers allowed me to share their questions with everyone. I received questions about mortgages, debt counselors, debt consolidation, credit histories, bankruptcy, medical bills, credit cards (of course), and many other topics. Below are the some of those questions and answers, please read on...

Use the below link to read the questions and answers:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?07&7428 

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Debt Makeover

Are you interested in working with me personally to save money on your debt?

Are you willing make a couple television appearances with me, in New Jersey, to talk about that experience?

If so, then please fill out an application at:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?12&7428 

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We have done our best to ensure that all advertisers included in the DebtSmart Email Newsletter offer quality products and services. However, if you have any problems, please let us know by sending mailto:comments@debtsmart.com  ~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/

DEBTSMART EMAIL IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOLLOWING ADVERTISERS:

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COME TO THE US JOB BOARD
If you're a JobSeeker looking to make a career move or just wanting to "see what's out there" we invite you: POST YOUR RESUME for FREE to our resume database Or, PERUSE the JOB LISTINGS from some of America's Top Employers and Recruitment Firms.
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Building Credit
by Gary Foreman

Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I am a college student looking for a credit card. When I tell my parents this they say, "no, you don't need one". I feel that I am financially responsible and in control of my money. I am not looking to spend money I don't have but merely to build credit. I've read all about college kids in debt, etc. But what about the rest of us that are responsible and ready to start our lives? How do I even get a credit card? And is there any better way to build credit?
--David H.

David is smart to take an interest in managing his credit. Like most young adults, David is anxious to grow up. And getting your own credit card is part of that process. But he needs to be careful when he begins this journey. There are more than a few perils along the way.

First, he should consider why he needs to 'build credit'. Sure, credit scores are being used for more things these days. It's even possible that David's college checked his score before accepting his application for enrollment. But typically, the only time that you really need good credit is when...

Use the below link to read the rest of the article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?08&7428 

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The Rule of Three
by Michael Angier

The United States Marine Corp believes strongly in what they call "The Rule of Three." They've found that implementing this rule saves lives, gets more done faster and more efficiently.

An article on The Corp in INC. magazine says, "The rule dictates that a person should limit his or her attention to three tasks or goals. When applied to strategizing, the rule prescribes boiling a world of infinite possibilities down to three alternative courses of action. Anything more and a marine can become overextended and confused. The marines experimented with a rule of four and found that effectiveness plummeted."

I've always believed that...

Use the below link to read the rest of the article:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?09&7428 

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DebtSmart Resources

How to advertise in the email newsletter:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?01&7428 

How to advertise in the online classifieds:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?02&7428 

DebtSmart Books, software, reports, in-print and downloads:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?03&7428 

Archive of DebtSmart Email Newsletters online:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?04&7428 

How to use DebtSmart articles FREE in your ezine or on your web site:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?05&7428 

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HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER

TO SUBSCRIBE to this newsletter click on the below link and complete the subscription form:
http://www.debtsmart.com/cgi-pl/go/020116_en.cgi?0&7428

Please contact mailto:comments@debtsmart.com with any comments, problems, or concerns.

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 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 (c) 2002 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.