 |
|
Discover® More Wildlife
Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 12 Months, APR:
10.99%. |
|
Advanta Platinum BusinessCard with Unlimited Rewards
Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 16 Months, APR:
7.99%. |
|
Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard
Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: Up to 12 Months,
APR: As low as 8.49%. |
|
Blue from American Express®
Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 15 Months, APR:
4.99% (for life on transferred balances). |
|
Advanta Life of Balance Platinum Card
Intro Rate: 2.99%, Time Period: Until Paid |
|
Chase Platinum Visa®
Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 12 Months, APR:
11.99%. |
|
Discover® More Card
Intro Rate: 0.00%, Time Period: 12 Months, APR:
10.99%. |
|
|
|
|
COOL QUOTE
"If the American people only
understood the rank injustice of our money and banking
system, there would be a revolution before morning."
--Andrew
Jackson
More cool quotes from past issues
New Reader Comments
"I love DebtSmart and wish for more
practical tips on managing this nightmare problem in our
life."
--Chris Johnson
"I always look forward to your
newsletter."
--Peggy Charbonnet
"Great job and love this
website!"
--Chris Johnson
More readers comments
MORE: Lower Interest Ratө Success
Story
Scott,
I have another one for you.
I just got off the phone with Chase. I
also complained to the Better Business Bureau about my two
accounts with them. As the story goes...
I have three accounts. Rates are
29.99, 24.99, and 7.99%. The 7.99% is because there was a
change in terms a year or more back, and in order to keep the
rate, I had to close the account. The other two accounts had
similar situations where I was mailed a change in terms
letting me know the rates would go up. However, I did not
want to close the accounts so I went the regular route of
periodically asking for a lower rate. Each time, you know
what the answer was. I just got so frustrated so I
complained to the BBB.
Back to my phone call this
morning...The person called and, to make a long story short,
offered to give me a promotional rate of 9.99% for the life
of the balance. WOW! I was surprised. This way I didn't have
to close my account either. Any additional purchases would
be at the higher rate, but who cares? I'm not using the card
anymore.
It's unfortunate that I had to go so
far as to complain to the BBB, however it works. These banks
obviously don't want these types of complaints...Please feel
free to add this to the last story I shared with you. Maybe
if enough people do this, then these banks will start
listening.
Sincerely,
Jeremy E. Portnoff
Another DebtSmart Reader consumer
tip
Hi Scott,
A couple of weeks ago, trying to get
something fixed by a tech aid at AOL, I complained so
bitterly that they changed the monthly service cost from the
senior discounted fee of $23.95 to $10 a month. I get the
same dreadful service for a lot less! Just today, I heard
that they now have free service, so when I recover from a
recent business trip, I'll call them to change to their free
service.
Marilyn
Balance transfer
checks
by Scott Bilker
Scott
First of all, your site is great! I
received a blank check from my credit card company that can
be used for either cash or purchases. It is a low 3.99
percent rate for life of the loan. The balance on my credit
card has a variable 8.99 percent rate. Would I be able to
write a check out for the balance on the credit card,
deposit it in my checking account, and then turn around and
send a personal check to the credit card company for the
balance total thus lowering the rate from 8.99 percent to
the 3.99 percent? Thanks in advance.
MW
Finish reading this article
Family Fights Bank
to Keep Home
by ABC News
Amid charges of banking violations,
one NY family turns foreclosure around.
Watch this video
"Had I not asked to
speak to a supervisor, I would have hung-up, defeated..."
This is an email I received from a
friend whom I helped reduce his credit card rates and do a
balance transfer. Total saved that day was $1,821.00!
Yo Scott,
So I called Capital One back with the
"special" number they gave us. The girl I spoke to (who
announced she'd be my "account specialist" today) informed
me that there was nothing she could do to lower my rate. I
related to her that I had spoken to customer service
yesterday, and they had told me they could lower my rate, but
I'd have to call back today (Sunday) because the
"specialists" had gone home at 8 eastern. She said that was
strange because there weren't any notes on the account
indicating the discussion I described. She said the rate
couldn't be lowered and there was nothing she could do to
help me. So, I asked to speak to a supervisor.
After holding for about five minutes
(the hold music was appropriately: Smokey Robinson--"You
Really Got a Hold On Me"), I "got a hold" of the supervisor.
He said he could lower the rate to 15.8% (from 19.9%) and
that the new rate would take effect within 24 hours. This
was good news. I asked why the previous "account specialist"
told me she could not lower the rate. He responded that only
supervisors and not "account specialists" have the authority
to lower rates. Had I not asked to speak to a supervisor
(which I obviously learned from you), I would have hung-up,
defeated, having been mislead about my options. Thanks again
for setting this up.
Mike C.
Learn how to
"Talk Your Way Out of
Credit Card Debt"
Household Math (TM):
Early Mortgage Payoff
by Scott Bilker
Assume a person is buying a $150,000
home at a rate of 7% interest on a 30-year loan, with the
usual 20% down payment (so the loan would be $120,000). This
person also has $20,000 in cash reserves. In which of these
two scenarios would this person end up paying less money
over the course of the loan?
Answer this math problem
STATISTIC: Comfort
Level
More than half of Americans who carry
monthly debt (54 percent) admit they worry about it
somewhat, but say they can manage it. One in 10 Americans
who carry monthly debt, however, are really worried and are
unsure how they are going to pay it all back. About
one-third (35 percent) say they don't worry at all about the
amount of debt they carry each month.
More credit card and debt statistics
Instant Grati
Syndrome
by Harrine Freeman
As a baby when you cried, your mother or father came
running to take care of you. As a toddler when you cried, your parents hugged or
talked to you until you stopped. As a teenager when you wanted something, you
talked really nice and sweet to your parents to get it. Throughout your life, you
may have received gratification instantly. So as a grown up, it is only natural for you to
believe that you should continue to receive this treatment.
Unfortunately, this attitude affects every aspect of your
life, even your spending habits.
Finish reading this article
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