• Home Equity Loan   • Home Refinance Loan   • Home Purchase Loan   • Second Mortgage Loan   • Debt Consolidation Loan
Home Equity Loan Store «A website where you can find the lowest interest rates on home loans with absolutely free quotes from multiple lenders»
::

Use A Debt Checklist To Examine Where You Are


A Debt Checklist allows you to look at items and areas of your financial life. You need to examine these to gauge how you stand. Even if you believe you are in good shape take a close look at these areas to be sure.

  • Your Budget. Almost nobody likes this word, which is why so many people have problems with their finances and debt. You need to know how and where your money is being spent. In addition, you should be sticking to a spending plan.

  • Your Savings Account. You should pay yourself each month. To do this you need have an account in place, in which you keep your funds. At least until you can move them to an account with a higher rate of return. Visit your bank or credit union to set one up.

  • Your Use Of Credit. You need to review your use of credit to see how, what, and where you are using it. Using credit to pay your bills or buying groceries is a recipe for trouble.

  • Your Percentage Of Income For Debt. Nothing makes it harder to stay with your spending plan than credit card payments. You are paying for your past while trying to purchase your present. If your percentage of income going toward debt exceeds 15 you could be headed for trouble. Any amount over 20 percent, you need to put on the brakes.

  • Your Minimum Payments. These add up. If you are to the point where you ca only make minimum payments on your debts, you will stretch your indebtedness far into the future. You don't want to extended like this. Find ways to add extra to one payment each month. Then when you pay one off move the extra payments to another.

  • Your Protection. You need to put into place and maintain protection for your assets. Your home, autos, life, and health, need be insured. Make certain the protection is in line with the value of your assets and the needs of the people whose lives would be effected.

  • Your Retirement. Two factors come into play here. You are going to live longer and life is not getting any cheaper. You should pay into an account for retirement every month. More is better. If you have been paying attention you'll know not to depend solely on social security.

  • Your Job Skills. Things change and change rapidly. A constant update should be part of your plan. You need to be able to obtain better jobs, or sometimes any job. The more skills you possess the better your chances.

  • Your Money Skills. Since money education is not taught in school you will need to learn on your own. You need to learn to manage your money, even if you turn it over to others. Become familiar with how credit and debt works, so it doesn't work against you.

Once you have taken this inventory get to work shoring up the areas where you are weakest. Put into place the ones you don't have. Then check back every so often to make sure all is well and as it should be.

(C) 2004 David Wilding.

David Wilding has for the past ten years worked with groups and individuals to help them reach the goal of being debt free. Visit his web site http://www.debtattack.com for more ideas, tools, and strategies.


MORE RESOURCES:

USA TODAY

Greece makes deal with banks, cuts wages to get debt relief
USA TODAY
By Tim Mullaney, USA TODAY The Greek government announced a deal with private creditors that may help it make a 14 billion euro payment due next month, heading off a default that threatened to cascade into a run on debt issued by nations such as Spain ...
ECB's Draghi Can Play Pivotal Role in Solving Greek Crisis: ViewBloomberg
Greek Future Hangs on a 300 Million Euro ThreadSpiegel Online
European Central Bank bows to reality over Greek bondsBBC News
Telegraph.co.uk -Daily Mail
all 3,090 news articles »


New Twist in Democrats' Push for Mortgage Debt Relief
Wall Street Journal (blog)
By Alan Zibel A former Fannie Mae employee has told congressional staff members that executives at the mortgage-finance company canceled the launch of a pilot program to cut loan balances for troubled homeowners due to “philosophical” disagreements in ...

and more »


SpringCoin Unveils First Automated Debt Relief Coach
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
SpringCoin, the leading online debt relief and financial education service, today announced the first automated debt relief coach with human expertise. The new SpringCoin (formerly known as its beta version, DebtEye) delivers the most personalized ...

and more »


New debt relief commission for fishermen
IBNLive.com
KOCHI: In what could be a huge relief for thousands of debt-ridden fishermen in the state, the state government has decided to form a new Debt Relief Commission for them with a three-year term. The Fishermen's Debt Relief Commission's term ended on ...



Globe and Mail

Eurozone finance ministers to discuss Greek bailout, debt relief deal on Thursday
Cape Breton Post
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) — A top eurozone official says that the currency bloc's 17 finance ministers will meet in Brussels Thursday evening to discuss a second massive bailout for Greece. Jean-Claude Juncker, who heads the finance minister meetings and ...
Greece strikes painful deal to avoid defaultChicago Sun-Times

all 4,879 news articles »


ABC News

Greece: European Central Bank, other central banks must be part of debt relief ...
Washington Post
ATHENS, Greece — The European Central Bank and national central banks should be part of a debt relief deal with near-bankrupt Greece's private sector creditors ahead of a pressing deadline early next week, the Greek Finance Minister said Thursday.
Greek FinMin: ECB Must Be Part of Debt ReliefABC News
Greece: ECB must be part of debt reliefSeattle Post Intelligencer
Greece's Finance Minister says ECB, central banks must be part of debt relief dealNewser

all 1,457 news articles »


ABC News

Debt-relief talks restart in Greece, amid pressure to lower interest rate
Washington Post
ATHENS, Greece — Greece's prime minister resumed talks late Thursday with top bank negotiators to try and overcome obstacles to a major debt-relief deal needed to avoid bankruptcy. Premier Lucas Papademos held a two-hour meeting with Charles Dallara, ...
Debt-Relief Talks Restart in GreeceABC News
Greek debt relief talks grind onBlueRidgeNow.com

all 1,363 news articles »


Russian billionaire offers CEDC debt relief for bigger stake
Reuters
* Alliance with CEDC comprises two separate transactions * Russian Standard says alliance would help CEDC with 2013 debt * Shares jump as much as 28 pct By Abhishek Takle Feb 2 (Reuters) - Central European Distribution Corp's largest shareholder ...

and more »


Kuwait Times

Race to fix Greek debt relief gathers pace
AFP
BRUSSELS — Officials took the first steps Tuesday in a high-pressure bid to wrap up a massive debt relief deal for Greece within a week. Needed to save the country from financial collapse, pressure to accelerate action and reach a deal has also risen ...
Europe races to secure Greek debt reliefKuwait Times
Europe races to secure Greek debt relief as EU leaders set weekend bailout ...Economic Times
Greek debt relief talks at 'crucial' stageCBC.ca
CBS News
all 5,259 news articles »


ABC News

Greece sees debt relief deal 'very soon,' but eurozone members press for lower ...
Washington Post
ATHENS, Greece — Greek officials Friday said they were confident a debt relief deal can be reached “very soon,” amid hours-long negotiations in Athens with private creditors, but several eurozone members maintained pressure to lower interest rates on ...
Greece Hopes for Debt Relief Deal 'Very Soon'ABC News
World markets cautious as Greece seeks debt relief dealTrinidad Guardian
Greece hopes for debt relief deal `very soon'MiamiHerald.com

all 3,247 news articles »

Google News

Home Equity Loan | Home Refinance Loan | Home Purchase Loan | Second Mortgage Loan | Home Improvement Loan | Debt Consolidation Loan | Loans | Leases & Leasing | Personal Finance | Mortgage Refinance | Debt Consolidation | Debt Relief | Finance Resources
© 2006 Home Equity Loan Store | Debt Relief Information | Debt Relief Articles