Food industry needs to adapt to the South Beach Diet principles in order to remain profitable.Watching the big amount of "low-carb", diet-friendly versions of foods that appear on the market, one would say that the South Beach Diet has not affected only people who want to get slim and healthy. Companies involved in the food industry have also been feeling the South Beach Diet effects: some of the products in great demand have brought profit while...more
Can you stop debt collectors ? . . .You better know you canYou can stop debt collectors under the law provided by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. If you use credit cards, owe money on a personal loan, or are paying on a home mortgage, you are a "debtor."If you fall behind in repaying your creditors, or an error is made on your accounts, you may be contacted by a "debt collector." You should know that in either situation, the Fair Debt...more
Your credit report--a type of consumer report--contains information about where you work and live and how you pay your bills. It also may show whether you've been sued or arrested or have filed for bankruptcy. Companies called consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) or credit bureaus compile and sell your credit report to businesses. Because businesses use this information to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, and other purposes allowed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), it's important that the information in your report is complete and accurate.Some financial advisors suggest that you periodically review your credit report for inaccuracies or omissions. This could be especially important if you're considering making a major purchase, such as buying a home. Checking in advance on the accuracy of information in your credit file could speed the credit-granting process.Getting Your Credit ReportIf you've been denied credit, insurance, or employment because of information supplied by a CRA, the FCRA says the company you applied to must give you the CRA's name, address, and telephone number. If you contact the agency for a copy of your report within 60 days...more
Your credit file may not reflect all your credit accounts. Although most national department store and all-purpose bank credit card accounts will be included in your file, not all creditors supply information to credit bureaus : Some travel, entertainment, gasoline card companies, local retailers, and credit unions are among those creditors that...more
Ever wonder how a creditor decides whether to grant you credit? For years, creditors have been using credit scoring systems to determine if you'd be a good risk for credit cards and auto loans. More recently, credit scoring has been used to help creditors evaluate your ability to repay home mortgage loans. Here's how credit scoring works in helping...more
So-called "credit repair" companies claim they can remove negative information from credit reports. Advertising as "Credit Advisors," "Credit Rating Correction Services" or "Credit Consultants," they trumpet variations on this message: "Turned down because of bad credit? We can help!" Many of these companies charge hundreds if not thousands of dollars for the promise to "clean up" bad credit reports. But the truth is, these companies can only do what you could do yourself--at no charge.Nobody can remove negative information that is accurate from your credit report. No company has a "secret" ability to remove all negative information.But this doesn't stop their claims. This deceptive quote is from a credit repair company brochure: "Charged-off accounts, collection accounts, judgments, tax liens, repossessions, and even bankruptcies can be removed from your credit records in less than one year (five to seven month average)."One tactic is to bombard credit reporting agencies with requests to verify information. If a credit reporting agency cannot verify an entry within 60 days, it will remove the information from the report. But if the information is later verified to be accurate, it...more
Mathematics is unerring. As a child we are taught that 2 + 2 = 4. This will never change and will always yield the same results; except when it comes to calculating you phone bill. Most long distance carriers advertise their low rate per minute...more
You may already be familiar with Check 21, a federal law that goes into effect on October 28, 2004. If you're like me, this may be something you hadn't heard about until just yesterday. The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, otherwise known as...more
If you're a webmaster who has been itching to start a home based business and you are experiencing some cash flow problems and are considering leaving your dreams by the wayside, don't. Credit cards may be your answer. Now before you start feeling...more
Let's be crystal clear, right up front. Paying someone to "fix" your credit is a waste of your time and money, since the negative issues that are temporarily removed from your file will only reappear again in a couple of months.Be careful with credit...more
The U.S economy continues to grow and corporations are enjoying large profits, but the majority of Americans still struggle with finances. This is one of the main reasons many people are looking into the benefits that a home-based business can offer....more
If you are searching for ways to earn an income using the internet, you must have already come across many programs with unbelievable claims of overnight income. This article outlines 7 criteria that I use to evaluate any opportunity that presents...more