Jul 30th, 2009 Posted in finance | no comment »
by Michael Geoffrey
Before you decide on filing for bankruptcy, you need to weigh the pros and cons so that you can take the right decision and choose the right option. Among the leading reasons why you need to be filing for bankruptcy is that it offers you the chance to make a fresh start in life, because with so many debts to contend with, your financial position could be greatly crippled and the emotional stress too would be unbearable. Coping with mounting debts is never very easy and when you cannot pay them off, the situation becomes even worse.
Buying Time
When your debts have stacked up so high that it seems that you will never realistically be able to pay them off, your only choice may be to file for bankruptcy. This is one way to eventually get yourself to be free of debt.
And, once you are sure about filing for bankruptcy, you will have bought you some time from your creditors who will not be able to bother you with reminders to pay up, and in some cases, may even mean having to pay less, while some companies will even help you overcome all of your financial woes.
Though these are the pros of filing for bankruptcy, there is a negative side to it as well and what was once easy when it came to filing for bankruptcy, has now become much more complicated because now your entire life history is scrutinized under a microscope and it can be quite unnerving as well because of the level of intrusion into your personal life that is caused whenever you are filing for bankruptcy.
Other negative aspects to filing for bankruptcy include high interest rates on loans that you may get in order to pay off your debt, and this is especially true when youre past credit history shows that you cannot pay off your debts.
Going through the process of filing for bankruptcy also tends to mean hiring a bankruptcy lawyer to assist you. That is another additional cost that you would not have to deal with if you were not filing.
Some of the financial problems that can and do occur as a result of filing bankruptcy can have very serious and very long lasting effects. For that reason, it is very important for you to think seriously about your choice to file or not instead of just making a rash decision.
About the Author:
Before you decide to
cut up credit cards to help you get out of debt, you’d better understand how it can affect your credit score. Find out what you’d better know first on the Debt Smackdown website at http://www.debtsmackdown.com
Tags: bankrupt, bankruptcy, chapter 11, chapter 13, credit management, debt consolidation, debt management, filing for bankruptcy, finance, personal finance
Jul 24th, 2009 Posted in finance | no comment »
by William Blake
Parents have a big responsibility to set a good example for their children in every aspect of life. All children imitate what and who they see. Because they spend more time with their parents than anyone else that is who they will imitate the most. This includes imitating their parents spending habits.
If parents have a cavalier attitude toward spending money a child will adopt the same attitude. Children are smart and they will quickly realize it if their parents are spending frivolously every time they go to the store but at the end of the month are stressed because they cannot pay the household bills. This is not a good example.
Money problems are at the root of many marital conflicts and this has a huge impact on children. It is important for parents to use their money wisely so as not to put a strain on their marriage and on their family.
Because parents are individuals too they may have different approaches to spending money because of the differences in their families as they were growing up. They need to reconcile these differences so that the children do not see a conflict.
Learning to save takes time even for parents. We didn’t all grow up with money-savvy parents. But now it’s time to break the cycle of overspending and debt. Parents can take a money management class or read a book on the subject. As they learn, so will the children. The information can be shared at family meetings.
If the family doesn’t have a financial plan, start one. Gathering the family together to do this is another way to include children in financial decisions. Being part of a family meeting shows children the role money plays in the home. Family meetings can be a place to voice any concerns about money and to find answers together.
As a child, my family didn’t have a lot of money. When I was old enough to have a job, I would spend my money on whatever I wanted. I didn’t want to live a life where I was deprived of things because I didn’t have money. I worked hard, but spent every cent.
This carried over into my adult life and created problems when I got married and started a family. My parents didn’t do anything wrong, there just could have been a few more right things done. We never talked about money. It was a grown-up thing and children weren’t included. I went with what I perceived to be the truth when it came to money.
About the Author:
Can
cancelling a credit card save you money on your debts? Learn whether they’re as good as they sound on the Debtopedia website at http://www.debtopedia.com where you can get a free copy of my report Secrets Of Credit Card Debt
Tags: credit, credit card advice, credit card debt, credit card hacks, credit management, debt, debt free, debt management, debt relief, finance, financial education, personal finance