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By Lis Carpenter
ongratulations!
I want to thank you for choosing to read this book, The 7 Steps to Getting Out of Debt. You are making a positive change for your financial future. Continue reading to learn exactly what the seven steps are that will lead to your financial freedom, and how to apply these steps. Discover how to apply these steps in your life and start on the path to financial recovery-just like I did. Lis Carpenter
Debt is the beginning of a cycle. You need some debt to maintain credit, but when your debt becomes overwhelming, your financial life can spiral out of control. Uncontrollable debt, the result of high interest rates, unnecessary fees and few credit opportunities, will take over your life. Uncontrolled debt leads to: ForeclosureBankruptcyPovertyHomelessness paycheck or two from living out of your car thanks to overwhelming debt? Are you just a
I could see this being a possibility in my future just a short while ago. I owed $10,000 but I was in this vicious cycle that left me with no life. I worked double shifts and multiple jobs only to pay off fees and interest; I wasnt even touching the debt itself. I had no freedom, no time, and 80 percent of my income went to pacify my debtors and creditors. I had been to a debt counselor who I paid to advise me on how to manage my debt, but all I ended up with was a big bill and the same debt! I was unable to pay my bills on time, found myself using just a few high interest cards, and doing everything else that I later learned was sinking me deeper and deeper into a big black financial hole. I decided to search the Internet for a viable solution for my debt problem. However, before I began my search, I had enough sense to realize what I was not looking for: The debt consolidation solution that would keep me in debt by adding more debtors to my situation.
A promise that was just a trick to get me to call a credit counselor I did not want or need; Id already went that costly route. free. Assistance that only resulted in a companys ploy to sell me a credit report, which can be available for
A loan shark who promised to pay down my debt for me--for a fee. 2
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A find a loophole in the law scheme that could lead to legal trouble. What I was looking for is what anyone in debt wants--a smart, simple strategy for turning my debts into
credits.
During my Internet search, I read about a debt management program, Dani Johnsons First Steps to Success. After doing my research, I came across some compelling testimonials from people who had attended one of Danis seminars: Francis Chau said, I cant tell you enough how much my life has changed since having been exposed to you. I attended First Steps to Success in LA and within a few weeks I cleared $15,000 of debt that I carried around like a gorilla on my back! I never realized that the freedom of having it cleared would enable me to REALLY experience life. Rick Hinnant said, My wife and I came to Dani Johnson and found a whopping $5,000/month in fatty fat excess spending in our budget! We took this and applied it to debt and were able to pay off $80,000 of debt in 18 months. Beyond that, I was burnt out in my business and because of Dani Johnson, I got re-energized in my business and am now well on my way to earning a seven figure income! Matt Gonzales said, After I learned the skills that Dani Johnson taught me about getting rid of debt at First Steps to Success, I eliminated $26,000 of debt in the first week following! Four months later, Ive gotten rid of a total of $33,000 of debt! Even though I havent increased my income, it feels like I have because I found that I have money that Ive been using in places that didnt matter and now Im saving more money, using it properly instead of blowing it on useless garbage! Jeff and Holly LaChappell said, Since First Steps To Success, we have paid off 6 credit cards, put 5,000 into savings, started our 2 kids college funds and are inspired to keep going
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I attended Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success seminar in Dallas, Texas on October 18th and 19th in 2008. During the seminar, I watched as person after person got up on stage and described how each one had won her own personal battle with debt by following Danis step-by-step program. Each speaker got up and kept talking about how they were finding something called FAT in their budgets and using it to pay off their debts and get their credit to be their slave instead of the other way around. It seemed like this FAT was excessive spending on things in their budget they did not need that was squandering their funds. It was like a diet. For example One lady found an extra $315 of FAT in her budget that she used to pay off $2,865 in seven weeks.
Another woman found $1,500 in FAT in her monthly budget, and managed to pay of $15,000 in six months. A man found $400 in FAT in his budget and managed to pay off $22,000 in debt in 19 months.
In seven weeks a man found $60 of FAT in his budget and managed to pay off $25, 00 in debt in seven weeks, as well. A student found $300 in FAT in his budget and managed to pay of $4,000 in student loans in seven months. I sat awe-struck in the audience and listened to story after story which related how people of all ages and incomes had managed to take their great nemesis, CREDIT and turn it into a tool of prosperity. Dani Johnson, author and creator of the War on Debt TM Debt Annihilation Program, explained that although she is now a best-selling author and successful financial life coach, her debt left her living out of the backseat of her car, poor and homeless. She worked through her debt by setting in place seven strategies that would ultimately lead to the beginning of a million dollar business--and it all began out of the trunk of her car.
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Listening to Dani speak also changed my perspective on the role that debt plays in my life. I never saw it this way before, but the phrase that made the most sense to me was when Johnson said Getting rid of your debt is like giving yourself a 15% to 30% raise in income each and every month!
I learned that credit in and of itself is not a horrible thing. You can use your revolving credit in a positive way, so that lenders will not think twice about lending you cash when you need it, as well as giving you lower interest and mortgage rates. This is absolutely crucial if your goal in life is to own your home or business or retire early. In fact, to just pay cash for everything and NOT use your credit at all can be incredibly damaging to your credit rating. Another tool I discovered at Danis seminar is that there is actually such a thing as good debt. Good debt can help parlay your income into millions, if you know the principles of how it can be used to compound your investments.
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However, despite their identical financial beginnings, Jill ends up pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more than Jane in debt-related expenses, while Jane uses her excess credit to create additional income. Jane always pays her bills on time and makes an effort to pay more than the minimum balance she owes on all cards and debts. This elevates her credit score. Instead of spending her money on late fees and interest charges, Jane has money to invest in an interest bearing account. She makes money from the money she saves. Jill does not always pay her bills on time, if at all. She frequently pays the minimum amount due on her credit card bills, or less than the minimum, and has a habit of maxing out the limits on all of her cards. This convinces lenders that she is irresponsible when handling her finances, and they do not give her an increased limit or additional credit cards. Lenders offer Jane the best credit cards at better terms and lower rates. Her credit limits are regularly increased. She is offered many credit cards so she is able to spread her debts over several accounts, thus maintaining lower balances across the cards she actively uses. This gives her a very high credit score. Theoretically, Jill and Jane owe the same amount of money, but Jill carries larger balances on fewer cards, which hurts her credit score. This does not prevent her from getting a loan, but the interest rates that she is offered on cards and mortgages are substantially greater than those offered to Jane. Janes high credit score, which is the result of good points given by several lending companies, give her some leverage with the credit card companies when it comes time to bargaining for lower interest rates. Whenever a lender tries to raise her interest rates, she transfers the balances with increased rates to another credit card with a lower interest rate. Sometimes the simple suggestion by Jane that she will switch credit cards causes a lender to offer a lower interest rate. As a result, Jane is all set to sail through life with a high credit rating and paying an average low interest rate of 9.9 percent. Jills fate is a little grimmer. The average interest rate on her credit cards is a whopping 19.9 percent 10 percent more than the interest on Janes credit card--which makes her a pauper by the end of her life. It did not take much to give her a more difficult time in life only 100 fewer points on her credit report compared to Jane. http://www.freebudgetingbook.com 6
Here is an example of what Jill and Janes finances look like when compared side-by-side.
Credit Cards
Jane Credit Score Interest rate Annual Interest Costs Interest Paid (Lifetime) 750 9.9% $762 $39,600 Jill 650 19.9% $1,592 $79,600
As you can see, the difference is that Jill pays $40,000 more than Jill by the time she reaches the age of 70. That is because Jill paid almost double the interest rate and twice as much annual interest as Jane. What do you think Jane is doing with the money saved in interest? She is reinvesting in her credit and increasing her finances. A look at the two womens auto loans reveals a similar scenario.
Auto Loans
Jane Credit Score Interest rate Monthly Payment Interest Paid (Lifetime) 750 5% $377 $21,666 Jill 650 8% $406 $34,563
In the end, Jills total penalty for having that lower credit score cost her $13,487 in loan interest over a lifetime. Jill is also stuck paying higher monthly payments as a result of her bad debt, which is money she could be spending on other things like a vacation, health care, or food. Jane is rewarded for having good debt with a lower interest rate and lower monthly payment. Guess who gets to go to Europe for the summer, and who is stuck working double shifts, all because of her debt? Both women are also treated differently when it comes time to negotiate mortgages.
At age 40, when both women decide to purchase new houses, Jane decides to buy a slightly larger house because she could afford it. This is the only time in her life when Joans interest penalty was larger, but she still managed to do a lot better than Jill as is evidenced by the figures below.
Although Janes interest rate increases with the second mortgage, Jill still pays more than $200,000 than Jane to lead the same lifestyle in a similar area in a slightly smaller house. By taking paying your bills on time and paying more than the minimum payment each month on credit card bills, you can improve your credit. You will be able to receive credit cards at a low interest rate and have the opportunity to continue to grow your credit. There are other ways that maintaining a high credit score can improve your quality of life When interest rates are higher, as is often the case during a recession, you will not be as affected as someone with a lower rate, who will possibly be denied a card or loan. Insurance companies rate people on their credit ratings and if it is high, your premiums are low. Jill paid premiums that were 20% to 30% higher than Janes, thanks to her low credit rating. Spend less time working to pay off debt and more time letting your money work for you while you enjoy a vacation, or two. Enjoy higher quality foods, spend time at the gym, and get regular medical checkups than someone who has a lower credit rating. You have more money to spend on the things that are important in life since you arent throwing it down the drain.
The bottom line is that if Jill would have invested that $200,000 that she spends paying interest on loans and credit cards she would have been worth two million dollars by the time she is 70 years old! The fact that money not spent on interest can be invested is the exact gist of what I learned when I went to Dani Johnsons First Steps to Success seminar. Finally I understood why some people thrive while others really suffer even if they are making the same amount of money and how some used Danis program to turn their lives completely around.
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Do you want to learn how to prosper during a famine? Would you like to circle a date on your calendar that will tell you that is the day when you will finally be out of debt? How would you like to get rid of your home mortgage in seven years or less? Its all possible! I know because I personally have applied the principles in War on Debt and won the battle against my worst enemy when it comes to accumulating debt me!
Here is Danis system for eliminating debt; a simple, pragmatic step-by-step process.
Materials you'll need: Your checkbook register and/or monthly bank statements Receipts for all purchases Your outstanding debt statements and unpaid bills A notebook and pencil
List your outstanding debt according to balance from least to greatest. Take the excess spending, or FAT, that you have located in your budget and apply it to the smallest total you owe. If you have a debt that has a significantly higher interest rate than the other debts, and your balances are somewhat equal or your limits are all maxed out, begin paying off the debt with the largest amount of interest. As you begin to bring the balance down, make a request to the debtor for your interest rate to be decreased.
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A proven debt annihilation formula that has already helped thousands of people pay off millions of dollars in debt The difference between wise and foolish spending How to uncover excess spending and use that money to quickly pay down your high interest accounts
Dani Johnsons War on Debt Home Study Program will give you all the tools you need to experience the total freedom of being completely debt free! Sadly, theres a war on for your financial freedom and if you are in debt, YOU ARE LOSING THE WAR! You may be living a good life but if you are carrying debt you are not financially free. You just may look a little better off than the rest of todays modern day slaves. Also if you are in debt, the economy is not going to get much better. Fix your debt now before things get worse. This is your chance to join the thousands of Dani Johnson clients who are winning the War On Debt. There really is a legitimate way for you to become free from the shackles of debt for good without even increasing your income! www.freebudgetingbook.com
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Need Some Advice to Help You Cut the Fat in the Meantime?
When I was attending Johnsons course, I took extensive notes. To tide you over until you can make it to one of her seminars or buy her full DVD; here are 40 fabulous fat cutting tips to get you started -1. 2. 3. 4. Eat at home it can save you tons of cash. They dont call it an idiot tax for nothing. Stop blowing money on lottery tickets. Start collecting coupons, organize them, and use them. Combine your errands in one trip to save money on gas and wear and tear on your vehicle; use public transportation if available. 5. Turn off the lights when you leave the room. 6. Reduce clutter and start selling what you dont need via the web or consignment shops. 7. Cut out that after-work cocktail and plate of chicken wings. 8. Bring your own soft drink from home and stay away from vending machineseven better just drink water. 9. Stop Smoking. It costs up to $1500 a year to smoke a pack a day and even more in Canada. 10. Take books out of the library instead of the bookstore. 11. Go to matinees when you go to the movies to avoid expensive night time shows. 12. Lower your thermostat and lower your bills. Even just a few degrees can make a big difference. 13. Open window shades to heat your home by the sun. 14. Close window shades to keep rooms cool. 15. Go camping while on vacation instead of staying in a hotel. 16. Never order room service in a hotel always go out to eat. 17. Bike or walk to work instead of taking a car. 18. Avoid boutique coffee shops and make your own designer coffee drinks at home. 19. Regift at Christmas and for birthdays. 20. Get rid of your monthly voice mail charge by getting a 20 dollar answering machine. 21. When shopping buy the cheapest size with the cheapest cost per ounce, such as a whole chicken rather than precut pieces. 22. Buy store brands or knock-offs instead of name brands. 23. Make a grocery list and stick to it so you do not succumb to impulse buying. 24. Avoid going shopping hungry as you just spend more. 25. Stop dying your hair and go natural. 26. Forget about wearing nail polish and forgo professional pedicures and manicures; instead, buff your nails at home. 27. Buy regular rather than premium or high octane gasoline as most vehicles are made just fine to run on regular gasoline. 28. Fill your tank when gas is inexpensive, even if your tank is not empty. 29. Avoid ATM fees by withdrawing all the money you need for a week, and use an ATM affiliated with your debit card to avoid extra fees. http://www.freebudgetingbook.com 13
30. Read the news online instead of buying a newspaper every day. 31. Use all-purpose cleaners and stay away from specialty products. 32. Avoid buying clothing that is labeled Dry Clean Only. 33. Grow your own food and reduce your food bill. 34. Puree your own baby food using food that you have cooked at home. 35. Save all of your leftovers and be sure to eat them.
36. Make gifts instead of buying them, such as cookies or crafts. 37. Instead of dining out enjoy a picnic in the park. 38. Use a debit card instead of a credit card whenever possible. 39. Make sure that the cost of your collision insurance is worth it as sometimes it exceeds the value of your car. 40. Shop online. You are less likely to make impulse purchases. (Adapted from Fox, From Credit Repair to Credit Millionaire)
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Money Wise: How to Get Easy Funding For Your Ventures and Investments
Empower yourself today by increasing your credit card limit. All it takes is a phone call to your creditors to get what you deserve--an expanded line of credit at a lower interest rate with fewer fees. Below you will find a step-by-step dialog to guide you as you call your creditors. Here are some general tips to help you get started: Before you make your first persuasive phone call, familiarize yourself with the dialog that follows. Read through the script at least twice beforehand, and fill in the blanks with the missing information. Once you make the call, own the conversation, remain confident, and display power. During the conversation remain calm, cool, and collected; never rude or brash. Be friendly but detached; remind yourself that the customer service representative is not your friend, but that the company does want to do business with you. Remain firm with your requests, but keep in mind that more bees are attracted to honey than to vinegar. Dont take no for an answer. Ask to speak to a supervisor, if needed. Assume your success and you will succeed. Now, lets get started! Step-by-Step Dialog Once you make the phone call, ask to speak to someone in customer service. If you receive a recorded response, follow the prompts until you reach a live operator. Introduce yourself to the customer service representative (CSR) as follows: Hi, my name is __________. What is your name please? (CSR responds) Thank you. Well, (CSRs name) I am thinking about making a large purchase in the near future, and I am calling to find out what is my credit limit. (CSR responds) Hmmm (as if you are not satisfied). What is the maximum amount of credit you can give me today? CSR: How much do you want? I would like a limit of _______ (ask for $100,000.00). CSR: Do we have permission to run your credit? Yes maam/sir. CSR: Do you still have the same job as you did when you signed up for the initial line of credit? Yes, and I have added income from a separate business. CSR: What is the name of your separate business? http://www.freebudgetingbook.com 15
It is _________ (decide ahead of time the name to call your business, but do not include Real Estate in the name). CSR: How much is your total annual income? I expect to make _______ (use your current income combined with $200,000 from real estate). How much of an increase can you give me today as I would like to make a large purchase today for my business? Okay, now that we have adjusted my limit, it occurs to me that I should check my interest rate. What is my current interest rate? CSR responds. HmmmI would like to use this card for my purchase but that rate seems high. What is the lowest interest rate that you can give me today? In addition, can you give me access to credit card checks at the lowest interest rate you offer? While were at it, will you please check and see if I have any annual fees? CSR responds. HmmmI dont think all of my other cards have those fees. Could you have them removed? Thank you for your time, and have a nice day (CSRs name). These are the basic tactics for conducting any persuasive phone call to a debtor, credit issuer, or any other type of phone call related to sales or relational conversation. No matter what the outcome, your persuasive phone skills will develop and you'll be able to finesse your way through most situations that require skills of persuasion and negotiation. Keep up the good work! For more information search for negotiation books and audios at your local library, web search engine, or book stores.
(Wegman, Simple Steps to Increased Credit Card Limits and Purchasing Power)
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References Carpenter, Lis. The War on Debt. Squidoo. <http://www.squidoo.com/Debt-free-Finances >. Fox, Donna. From Credit Repair to Credit Millionaire. Schererville, IN: Special Arrangements, 2004. Print. Johnson, Dani. War On Debt: Home Study Program. 2003. < http://www.danijohnson.com/successtools/selfimprovement/war-on-debt-home-study-program/>. Wegman, Ryan. Simple Steps to Increased Credit Card Limits and Purchasing Power. Ezine Articles, 2009. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Simple-Steps-to-Increased-Credit-Card-Limits-and-PurchasingPower&id=2470540>.
Images: Flickr Creative Commons; p. 3 Money by AMagill; p. 4 Homeless Park Person by chrstpre; p. 4 Credit Cards by Andres Rueda; p. 16 Lunch Money by emdot
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