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“Are you kidding me? You really never buy online?” Asks your friend.

Your friend continues his pursuit of the truth oblivious to your
discomfort. In the meantime, you fidget around while trying to find a graceful way out of this situation without revealing the truth.

You don’t want to tell him that you cannot buy online not because you are worried about identity theft. You can’t rent a car not because you are underage. The limitations you face are entirely related to the requirements of our credit based society. You simply don’t have a credit card. Your past credit
problems haunt you like a relentless dog in pursuit of a game. There may be a solution: Prepaid Credit Cards.

What are prepaid credit cards?

Prepaid MasterCard cards and/or prepaid Visa cards look exactly like a regular credit card. Neither you and your friends, nor the merchant who accepts MasterCard and Visa will be able to identify it as a prepaid credit card.

You obtain these prepaid credit cards by “pre-loading” them, which means you deposit cash into your account up-front, similar to a pre-paid calling card. Then you use your prepaid MasterCard or Visa anywhere these cards are accepted.

Prepaid Credit Cards are more practical than cash for many with
previous credit problems since you pay for your purchases before you even buy anything. This helps you plan your purchases better and avoid impulse buying.
Prepaid credit cards offer other advantages:

• They are easy to get since they do not require stringent credit check or income verification.
• They can be purchased online and at many retail stores.
• They have very short credit card application.
• They do not have any interest charges since you are not borrowing money.
• They cannot lead into credit problems due to inability to pay borrowed funds. Again, you are not borrowing money.
• Prepaid MasterCard or VISA have world wide acceptability virtually any anywhere VISA and MasterCard are accepted.

Don’t forget the downside of prepaid credit cards:

• They are costly to get with set-up fees of $5-$50.
• They are costly to maintain - “Loading” fee of $5 or more every time you deposit money into them.
• They requires up front cash.
• Some prepaid credit cards cannot be used for recurring payments like monthly subscriptions.

After all said and done, prepaid credit cards may be your only
solution to carry and use a credit card. With prepaid credit cards you no longer have to carry your past credit problems like a sign on your forehead. Instead you can reach into your pocket and pullout that prepaid credit card.

They may be a blessing that helps you take care of day to day needs and make personal changes to help you get on track to a disciplined attitude toward money and spending. If you decide to get a prepaid credit card, compare several offers and select the one that most closely matches your needs and special circumstances.

Don’t rush it.

And while you go about your struggles with this and other of life’s ups and downs, remember Robert Johnson who said, “Measure yourself by your best moments, not by your worst.”

For more information about free

Prepaid Credit Card,

Bad Credit Credit Card, and

Online Credit Card Applicationcheckout FreeCreditReport.ws

1. Plan
Whenever you go somewhere that you know will cost you some money, make a plan. If you’re going to do the groceries for instance, make a list and stick to it. If you are going on vacation, create an itinerary that you can stick with and stay with your allotted expenses. Failing to plan can cause impulse spending.

2. Budget
This is one area many people fall in trouble with. They just don’t do it. Create a budget and put it on paper. You will be amazed on how things become clearer when you see it all in writing. If you don’t know how to create a budget, look in the yellow pages, some companies give free financial consultations.

3. Allowance
Give yourself an allowance. Even if you’re in the process of repairing your financial situation. It’s important to treat yourself once in awhile or depression may set in and cause you to overspend.

4. Credit Cards
It’s just too easy to buy stuff using credit cards. You should only use these cards for emergencies. Did you know that on a balance of $1000 if you make the minimum monthly payment, it will take you over 20 years to pay it off. TIP - if you do have credit card debt and are in good standing, call them and negotiate a lower interest rate.

5. Break some of those old Habits.
Keep track of where your money is going. Most of us develop bad habits over the years that often add needlessly to our expenses. How many times have you wondered to yourself - what did I do with my last 20 bucks? We often get into the habit of making small purchases without giving it much thought. Then wonder where the money went. If you don’t remember what you did with the money, chances are you just blew it away.

6. Avoid Temptations
Do you have some irresistible urges? Casino, lottery tickets, racetrack, drinking, smoking? Do you like to go shopping? Time to keep your allowance in mind. Resist the temptation. Think about it. My wife and I quit smoking over a year ago and the money we saved, paid for our monthly car payments (Buick Regal). Hmmm. Quit smoking get a free car. How about that one. Would you quit smoking for a free car? Just wondering.

7. Know when to shop
If you do the groceries while your hungry, you will buy more food than you need. Everything looks good. Especially the junk food. Be sure to shop on a full stomach. If your shopping for clothing while in a blue mood, you will end up buying something that cheers you up rather then what you originally went shopping for.

8. Stop competing with the Joneses
Stand up and be proud of who you are. You don’t need to compete with anyone. Let Mr. Jones buy that brand new car and suffer the depreciation cost. You’ll be smart and save your money while buying used cars in order to take that great vacation Mr. Jones only dreams about. Stay within your means.

9. Visit the Dollar Store
It seems it wasn’t long ago that the dollar store became popular. I always wondered why. All they had was no name junk that would brake the minute you got it home. That is no longer the case; the dollar store can often save you mountains of money. Name brand laundry detergent, school and office supplies, household items and much more. Be sure to visit them.

10. Be Debt Free
Make a list of all credit cards, banks, other companies/people you owe money to. Target one of them. Pay them more then the monthly minimum and get them paid in full as fast as reasonably possible. Then target the next one and so on until you become debt free.

11. Needs vs. Wants
We all have needs and wants. Sometimes the wants are a little too expensive aren’t they? It’s time to be realistic. Can you afford it? Do you really NEED it? Stay with your “need” list and you will spend less.

12. Refinance
Consider a home equity loan if you own a house. Or Visit your banker and see if you can consolidate your loans. If you owe money on credit cards you can save a huge amount of money by doing this.

13. Pay Your Bills On Time
Paying late fees is such a total waste of your money. Be prepared and organized when paying your bills and avoid this waste. Mail that cheque early. Nsf cheques can get expensive, and you get nothing in return. Avoid these errors and you will learn to make every dollar count. Make sure your money goes against the debt not useless fees.

14. Sell some Stuff
Got stuff in the basement, attic or anywhere else? It’s amazing isn’t it, on how things accumulate over the years. What seemed like a great item a few years back is totally useless to you today. Wait a sec. it may be useless to you, but worth it’s weight in gold to some one else. Gather it all up and have yourself a garage sale. Raise some cash. If you don’t want to do that, you can sell it on eBay or even put an add in the local paper.

Live within your means and your life will be so much simpler. Let’s face it, if you earn $40,000 a year you shouldn’t be driving $100,000 car. It doesn’t work. The quickest way to financial misery is to satisfy your “wants”. Satisfy your “needs” and you wont overspend.

This article was poduced by www.improve-your-credit-online.com and can be reproduced as long as you include this resource box.

This is the age of plastic money. It’s not uncommon for the typical consumer in the western world to go weeks at a time without ever handling a coin or bill. Everything we need is available to us with the simple “swik-swik’ sound of a credit card sliding through a reader. Supplies for the office, flowers for the wife, meals and drinks out, and an endless supply of useful products available for sale through the Internet can all be bought with naught a cent to be seen.

The big question is: “How safe is all this plastic?”

Cash has its obvious benefits. When you buy a sandwich for $2.95 and you hand the cashier a $5 bill, you know you haven’t been ripped off when he hands you $2.05 right then and there. But when you hand your card to a waitress at the local chain restaurant, how do you know she hasn’t taken a moment to sneak into the office and copy your card number and signature? You don’t, and the implications of this question are having a serious effect on credit card companies and the merchants they do business with.

In response to these issues, the big credit card companies have developed more secure ways to do business. MasterCard International and Visa got together and came up with a set of guidelines called the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. This is a list of 12 guidelines that imposes strict regulations on all transactions taking place between the card company and the merchants it trades with. While these standards have been in place since 2005, merchants are taking some time to catch up to them. However, in the past year there has been marked improvement, and both credit card companies have stepped up their tactics to the point where merchants may be experiencing losses of service if they do not fall in line soon. (You can read the 12 guidelines and the details of this plan on the homepages of Visa or MasterCard.)

Discover Card has responded to the pressure for more secure methods with it’s own program. They call it the Secure Online Account Number program. Anytime you use your Discover card to purchase a product online, their program will generate a random account number to “stand-in” for the one on your card. You then send this number to the merchant in place of the real number. When the number is verified with Discover Card, it will link to your account and the purchase is charged to you. The benefit of this system is that the merchant never sees your true account number. Only you and Discover Card have access to it. Once the transaction is completed the randomly generated account number is no longer valid, so any attempts to use it result in denial.

A security method that online merchants are employing is the requirement of a shipping address that matches the billing address on your credit card. This is to guard against thieves who may steal your account number but will have no access to your billing address. This way, if your card is stolen, it can only be used to make purchases that will ship to your address. Any prospective thieves will have to pick up their orders from your mailbox, not something the average anonymity-seeking thief will want to do.

There are also third party systems in place for ensuring online credit card security. VeriSign’s SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) technology is the leader in the field. VeriSign will give each merchant it conducts business with 2 “keys” (like coding alphabets), a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt information, and the private key is used to decipher it. VeriSign’s technology now offers this encryption in 128- to 256-bit encryption, which provides a nearly un-guessable number of possible combinations of codes.

This article has been provided courtesy of Creditor Web. Creditor Web offers great credit card articles available for reprint and other tools to help you search and compare credit cards.

Creditors look at your ability to repay the debt by analyzing your current expenses and your income. Once they have all of that information available a credit granting decision is made.

Many creditors also look at something that is called your “Credit Risk Score”. One of the most popular scoring systems is known as a “FICO Score” but it is not the only scoring system. “FICO” derives its name from the company that invented the scoring process: Fair Isaac & Co.

Regardless of the name of scoring rules, Risk Scores are numerical representations that attempt to “predict” the likelihood of you being a good credit risk. In fact, credit risk scores are the sole determining factor that are used by web sites that offer you “instant credit” when you apply on line.

You should know that risk scores are not part of your official credit report and they are not part of your credit history. They are calculated by the particular lender when they receive your credit report. Not all lenders assign the same value to each scoring decision point, which means that your score will vary among lenders.

There are almost as many different scoring systems as there are lenders. Although all of them evaluate your general creditworthiness and your risk of bankruptcy, the models vary widely from there depending upon whether you are seeking a mortgage, credit card, auto loan, etc.

In some scoring systems, a high number is desirable. Others want to see a low number. Your best bet is to find out what scoring system your potential lender uses and ask them what the scoring criteria are. That’s the only way that your Credit Risk Score will really mean anything to you when you see it.

Back to FICO scores for a minute. You actually have three FICO scores, which is one for each of the major credit bureaus. Since none of the major bureaus has 100% of your credit history by itself, your scores will vary among bureaus. Please refer to the section on Mortgage Reports to see how this is addressed when you are buying a home.

No credit scoring system is allowed to use non-credit data such as your race, sex, marital status, national origin, or religion when determining your score. Creditors are allowed to use your age as a scoring factor but they are not allowed to discriminate against elderly applicants.

I was told that my score was too low. How can I improve it?

As I said, different creditors use different scoring models and there is no one uniform methodology. You score can go up or down regularly based upon events in your life. Your best bet is to ask the particular creditor that denied you credit how you can improve your score with them.

All of that not withstanding, there are some generally accepted methods of helping to improve your chances of having a good score. Paying your bills on time is one-step in the right direction. If you are behind on payments then catch them up. Here are some other generally accepted tips:

1. Keep an eye on your total outstanding debt.
   
   Many scoring models consider the amount of outstanding credit you have as compared to your maximum credit limits. If your credit card balances are at or close to your limit, it could lower your score.
   
   
2. How long have you had a credit history?
   
   Creditors like to see a long history of satisfactory credit. Of course “long” is a relative term and that’s one reason why creditors are allowed to consider your age when making a scoring decision.
   
   
3. How much “new” credit have you applied for?
   
   If you have applied for “too much” credit, according to whatever arbitrary definition a creditor wants to assign, then this could lower your score as well. As time passes these accounts are no longer considered “new” and your score changes as a result. If you’ve handled the accounts in a satisfactory manner then your score could go up. Otherwise, it will likely go down.
   
   
4. How much credit do you have in total?
   
   While you want to have a “long” credit history, you don’t want to have too much open credit. This makes creditors nervous because you might be accumulating too much debt and not be able to pay them back.
   
   

Remember, your ability to repay the debt a creditor grants you is the most important factor when they look at your credit report but other things are considered too. Use the four tips above before you apply for credit to improve your chances.

Angela Smith is the owner of LearningAboutCredit.com. Her goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need to become debt free through sensible financial management. At LearningAboutCredit.com you’ll find tips and insight on topics such as budgeting, credit card management, saving, spending and more. Get your free report, Learning About Credit: Steps to Take on the Road to YOUR Good Credit right now!

Effects of credit cards and loan accounts can be positive. For example, retail charge cards can be a good way to establish or improve your credit. Because the card limits are generally low, you may pose little risk to the creditor. So, you may be approved with little or no credit history. Using these cards responsibly may help establish your creditworthiness for more significant credit (such as a vehicle loan or a mortgage) in the future. Unfortunately, the interest rate on charge cards is much higher than regular credit cards because of the higher risk involved. Use these types of cards sparingly.

Like retail charge cards, secured cards can be the first step toward repairing your credit history. With secured credit cards, you are required to deposit money with the issuer of the secured card that partially or completely covers the amount you may charge on your card. If you default on your card payments, the creditor may withdraw the money you have on deposit to repay the debt. In some cases, however, the card may be converted to an unsecured card if you make satisfactory payments for a specified length of time. Your secured card will help you establish or improve your credit only if you make the payments in a timely manner. Even though you have money on deposit with the card issuer to secure the debt, you must pay at least the monthly minimum to keep your credit history from looking even worse.

On the other hand, loans and credit cards can have a negative
impact. First of all, applications for credit are reported to credit bureaus as an “inquiry” and remain on your report for 24 months. Lenders may become suspicious if they see numerous credit applications within a short period of time. Fearing that you may become overextended on the amount of debt you can handle, they may deny you credit simply because you’ve applied for too much.

Furthermore, late and missed payments will appear on your credit report. For each credit account you have, your credit report will contain a detailed history of your payment record over the last 12 to 24 months. Derogatory
information may remain there for seven years or longer, depending on the type of notation. Each time you’re late making your credit card payment or miss a payment, you’re undermining your credit history and weakening your chance to obtain loans in the future.

Finally, all open accounts with no balances also appear on your credit report, even if you don’t use them. Because they increase your potential debt-to-income ratio, open but currently unused accounts can prevent you from obtaining new credit. To prevent this situation, get a copy of your credit report. If your report shows that you have cards you no longer use, call the issuing companies to cancel them.

These are just a few ways credit applications and accounts can affect your credit. To learn more, visit http://www.directlendingsolutions.com

Credit cards for college students can prove vital, especially when it comes to financial emergencies. Parents aren’t always around to bail out their children and by offering students a credit card it is possible to not only provide them with security for these emergencies but also teach them about the sensible use of credit cards and credit accounts in general. On the positive side, student credit card limits are usually set quite low making it difficult to run up masses of debt on one individual card but it is still possible without careful management.

Why Students Need Credit Cards

Student credit cards are only financially crippling when they are used incorrectly. In the case of students, running up bills on numerous student credit cards can mean repaying the debt over the next ten years and possibly even longer. However, as well as being ideal for use in emergencies they also offer the opportunity to build a credit history, without which it is virtually impossible to get a mortgage or other lines of credit.

A Single Application For A Single Card

As a student, the most important aspect of managing your credit is not getting carried away. This should start with your first application. Credit cards for college students are just that; lenders will usually accept your application with little fuss. You should not apply for multiple student cards in the fear that your application won’t be accepted. Select the most appropriate student credit card and then complete your application. By all means, if that particular lender refuses your application then apply for the next most suitable. There are plenty of credit cards for college students available from different lenders.

Sensible Use Of Your Credit Card

Another temptation is to apply for more cards simply to have more credit available. Don’t forget that a student credit card does not offer free money and you will have to make the repayments on all money you borrow. Bearing this in mind you should only use your credit card when you need the credit it offers and when you know you will be able to make the necessary repayment. The longer you borrow money without repaying the capital, the more repayments you will have to make.

The Joint Application Card

Joint application student credit cards provide a monthly statement to the student and to the parents. This enables parents to monitor the amount of money that their children are spending and, if necessary, help to make the necessary repayments. A joint application credit card is the best option available because of this feature.

When possible try to use cash or your debit card in place of your credit card. It may not seem too big a problem to buy a meal at the student union on your credit card but if you keep using it in this way, the money soon adds up to an uncontrollable figure. One final important factor to remember is that a t-shirt or a hat is not a good incentive to apply for a credit card. Always consider the application you make based on the merit of the credit card itself. Look at the interest rates, the incentives and any fees that may be associated with it and base your final decision on these.

For more information on credit cards for college students, Kim Stevens recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com

Everyone needs to know exactly what is on his or her credit report. Even if you have never been late with a payment in your life you need to know what your credit report reflects that reality. Mistakes happen every day, and mistakes on your credit report can dramatically affect your life.

The good news is that it is easy for anyone to correct errors on their credit report and avoid the headaches that these errors can cause.

It is a fact of life. Most adults in North America suffer from a blemish or two on their credit report. These few items could be all that prevents you from getting a better job, buying your dream home, or obtaining new credit when you need it the most.

According to an article in the Toronto Sun, business editor, Linda Leatherdale states that Canadian consumers owe an amazing $900 billion or 107% of their disposable income. U.S. consumers owe a staggering $8.4 trillion or 112% of their disposable income.

Bad credit is embarrassing, humiliating, and depressing because many people believe that a bad credit report is indicative of a person’s worth and value as a human being. But even if the problems being reported are true there are still some legitimate ways you can improve your credit report.

People with bad credit are not “deadbeats.” Everyone wants to be able to pay their bills. People typically maintain a good credit rating until some unforeseen circumstance like a layoff, medical problem, or divorce prevents them from making a few payments in a timely manner.

Everyone struggles long and hard to pay the bills on time, but sometimes the money coming in does not quite keep up with what needs to get paid. When you’re in this situation you have to carefully choose your priorities. If things get really bad, sadly enough, bankruptcy might become an attractive alternative.

If it comes down to a decision between putting food on the table and paying the credit card bill, the clear choice for most people is to look after their family first. You can bet that even those hard-nosed, self-righteous collection agents who call and hound you to pay their bill would do the same. All their talk about how they pay their bills and expect everyone else to do the same, is just a psychological ploy intended to intimidate you. The reality is that most people are only a few pay cheques away from financial catastrophe and these telephone collectors are no different from anyone else.

By knowing, and exercising your rights, you will be well on your way to rebuilding or maintaining your credit. You will have the confidence and ability to regain your financial strength and freedom. Rebuilding a good credit record requires honesty, integrity, persistence, and vigilance from this point forward. Don’t worry about the past. You cannot change it. Focus on changing your future. Improving and maintaining a good credit record will reward you and your family with a real sense of empowerment and financial freedom.

About the author: Tony Reed is the author of "The need to look at your credit report", please visit his website Credit report & credit repair for more information.

This article is free for republishing as long as you leave the article title, author name, body and resource box intact (means NO changes) with the links made active.

Fixing bad credit is possible. Attempts to quickly fix bad credit may be frustrating if your expectations are too high.

If you are disputing information on your credit report in hopes of fixing bad credit, the credit bureaus have thirty days to investigate. If they cannot verify the information, then they are required to remove it and send you a corrected copy of your credit report. They may ignore disputes which they believe to be frivolous. This can mean that you receive no response at all. There are more complaints filed against the credit bureaus than any other single type of company. They are difficult to deal with. Attempts to quickly fix bad credit generally leads to frustration.

Beware of companies which advertise that they can quickly fix bad credit. Find out what services they are offering and what fees they are charging, before you sign up. Lawyers that specialize in fixing bad credit will advise you of a reasonable amount of time to wait for improvements in your credit score. This may be a matter of weeks or months. If your idea of how long it should take to quickly fix bad credit is a matter of days, then you may be disappointed.

Fixing bad credit legally involves negotiating with creditors. Sometimes this can be a fairly quick process. It really depends on your definition of quick. To quickly fix bad credit you will need to use all strategies and methods at your disposal. This usually means that you will need to contact a law firm that specializes in fixing bad credit. They are aware of everything that you can do legally to improve your credit score.

Fixing bad credit legally involves disputing information on your credit report that you believe is inaccurate, obsolete or unverifiable. These disputes probably take longer than negotiating with creditors. The credit bureaus are usually more responsive to certain requests than others. If you hope to quickly fix bad credit, you may need to contact a law firm to find the best way to dispute information.

Fixing bad credit legally includes paying off any judgments or charge-offs listed by creditors. It is important to negotiate with the creditor about removing the information, once you have paid the obligation. If the obligation is not yours, due to inaccurate reporting, divorce, identity theft or for any other reason, it may be necessary to contact both the credit bureau and the creditor. The credit bureau may remove a negative item, but if the creditor reports it again, then it will pop back up. As you can see, depending on the problems that you are facing, fixing bad credit can be done, but trying to quickly fix bad credit may require some help. There are many things that can be done. Each one takes time. Law firms that specialize in fixing bad credit can help you resolve issues more quickly, fix bad credit sooner and lessen your frustration.

How do I get a Credit Card?

Getting a Credit Card is not as difficult as it seems. If you have recently graduated, or you are still in college, Credit Card companies see you as desirable and a good credit risk. In fact, you probably receive Credit Card offers in the mail quite often. Compare the terms and be sure to choose one with no annual fee and with the lowest possible interest rate.

How do I get a Credit Card with bad credit or no credit?

How do I get a Credit Card if I am not in college and I have bad credit or no credit? You can still get a Credit Card! Often the best way to get a Credit Card when you do not have an established credit history is to get a secured card. Orchard Bank is one of the major banks offering Secured Credit Cards. In most cases, you will have to send them money, usually about $200 - $250. They then issue you a Credit Card with that credit limit and often times up to double or more.

If I do get a Credit Card, what is the benefit? Why get a Credit Card if I have the money? The answer is to establish a good credit history. You can rent a car or hold a hotel room by using your Credit Card. You can make purchases without having to carry cash or having to write a check. If you pay the Credit Card bill off quickly, preferably in full every month. You will establish good credit and the unsecured Credit Card offers will start rolling in!

Praetor: http://www.how-do-i-get-a-credit-card.com/

For many credit card holders, credit card debt can put a damper on what would have been a quick fix to financial woes. High credit card interest rates can lead to substantial credit card debt for millions of individuals and families around the world. It is far too easy for credit card holders to find themselves falling into credit card debt. High credit card interest rates are not the only factor that leads to a surplus of credit card debt, the high expenses people must cover in order to get by in their everyday lives lead to the general public seeking financial help. Credit cards seem like an easy answer, allowing customers to buy things now and pay for them later. However, if put in the wrong hands, credits cards can lead to even more financial trouble than the customer was already in.

There are a number of companies who capitalize on the large amount of credit card debt that can be found throughout the country and the world. These companies claim to have all the financial solutions customers who are in debt are looking for. How many times have you seen advertisements for companies claiming to get you out of credit card debt in five easy steps, or claiming to help you eliminate credit card debt in just months? The claims seem promising to people trying desperately to get themselves out of the throngs of bad credit. However, not all these companies can be trusted. It is important for any customers tempted by these get out of debt fast claims to first research these companies. Many companies simply use these empty promises as a way to prey on those who have already established bad credit and seem like easy targets to get quick cash from.

But do not worry, you do not have to fall victim. If you are tempted to employ the services of a company offering credit card help, be sure to do your homework. Research the company; try to find former customers to talk to, and make sure that your money will be spent wisely - helping you get out of debt. In far too many cases people who are already in financial trouble find themselves falling in further debt after being scammed by companies who claim to have all the answers to getting out of credit card debt. In fact these companies simply offer useless tips while scamming customers out of even more money. In fact, some debt-help companies do just the opposite - cause further debt for their financially troubled customers. Customers who are well informed and ready to find the right company to help them get out of debt will be able to spot frauds right away and employ the services of a company that will offer valid assistance rather than a hoax.

Peter Sissons, Retired Bank Manager and Bad Credit Credit Cards advisor - focusing on Unsecured Credit Cards and Credit Card Debt