The Truth Bar

The growing prevalence of identity theft and increased concern about good financial health has led many consumers to seek copies of their credit reports online. Doing so is certainly laudable; the more you know about how potential creditors and lenders see you, the more prepared you can be when it comes time to apply for a loan or credit. An added bonus is that consumers can obtain one copy of their credit report from each of the three main credit bureaus once a year through the official Web site set up for such purposes at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Unfortunately, there are still many Web sites that exist for the sole purpose of tricking consumers who are seeking copies of their free reports. A quick Google search for the term “free credit report” today turned up no fewer than twenty four million sites in the search results. There certainly are not twenty four million Web sites that are going to provide copies of credit reports for free, so what is this all about?

It’s about money. Aside from the “official” site, the others are there to profit, and they can profit in one of two different ways:

Sell you something - Some of these sites actually belong to the credit bureaus; they have set them up to give you the credit report while selling something else to you in the meantime. These sites will offer the “free” report in large letters, while telling you in smaller ones that by accepting the free report you are agreeing to buy a credit monitoring service, which can cost you $10-15 per month. The credit bureau-owned sites will also tell you that you can get your report for free at the “official” site. That is usually stated in fairly small print near the bottom of the page.

Steal something from you - Unfortunately, there are still many unscrupulous crooks out there on the Internet who see the interest in credit reports as the ideal way to steal personal information from people. Their sites will offer a “free” report, and perhaps some other services for which you can pay. But when you fill out the application and provide your name, Social Security number and credit card, you get nothing in return. Instead, the operators of these sites use the personal information to borrow money and take out credit in your name, leaving you to pay the bills.

If all you want is a free credit report, the best way to avoid this problem is to obtain it from the official Web site at AnnualCreditReport.com. Alternatively, you can call 1-877-322-8228 to receive your report by mail. That way, you can avoid being victimized by the thousands of Web sites that might cause you to pay dearly for your “free” credit report.

©Copyright 2006 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to credit counseling , debt consolidation payday loans and personal bankruptcy.

Finding help to finance a college degree may be troublesome and may certainly take time. These scholarships are not the same as a normal student loan in that the cash is a grant, so it does not need to be paid back. While searching means to fund a degree, check into the different alternatives, for example funding for left handed scholars. Funding for Lefthanders

It may seem a little unusual to provide a grant dependent on a predominant hand, however do consider these facts: Julius Caesar was left-handed, so is the president of the US, Barack Obama. Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Ringo Starr also J.F. Kennedy Jr were also left-handed. Figures indicate up to eleven percent of people are left handed. Often thought to be much more talented in the arts and more intelligent, southpaws have often been the victims of discrimination. Stigmatisation is not a problem any longer, southpaws are no longer considered to be odd, in fact they are often associated with the many great individuals referred to previously.

There are many grants accessible specifically for left-handed people when you know where to search. The Beckley Scholarship for up to $1,000 is presently available at Juniata College in Huntington, Pennsylvania. Presented to scholars of Juniata College and it was set up in the late seventies, this particular scholarship helps many southpaws in their pursuit for a college degree.

Many scholarships do have requirements or restrictions. Sometimes particular grades can be necessary or particular financial requirements have to be satisfied. Do go for for the maximum number of scholarships achievable to give you a much better probabilty of supporting a university education incurring as small a school debt upon graduation as is feasible. You should also look at community organisations, clubs and even groups related to your hobbies. Southpaw bursaries are just one case; financial help is even obtainable if you are the child of a from a armed forces home or suffer from a disability, to offer some illustrations.

We do suggest you go to this one of a kind site for getting a college or university education through martial arts scholarships recommendations…

Exploring scholarships may take a little effort, but the return will be worth it. The debt accrued by a college degree may be decreased by these funds utilized alongside a normal student loan. Be sure to research every opportunity. Do remember the other options in addition to left handed bursaries — be imaginative! If you even guess you may meet the criteria, then go for it, keeping your academic costs to a an absolute minimum, additionally you will very likely look forward to improved prospects when you eventually graduate.

One of the most fearsome beasts inhabiting the financial world is the credit card bill. This frightening monster can continue to grow, even as the monthly minimum is paid month after month, until it eats up a great deal of the household income. There are steps every consumer can take to get control of the credit card bill monster, but it is important to use proper planning, good budgeting, and some good planning.

Looking at the 0% interest rate

There are always plenty of offers for 0% interest rates on balance transfers, and these 0% offers can be a great way to pay down those high credit card balances and help to get a handle on them. The key to using the 0% balance transfer strategy is to read the fine print carefully and to know when that great introductory rate expires.

The most sure way to keep track of the low 0% offers is to post them on the calendar and take note before they expire. With all the 0% credit card offers on the market, many people have used this strategy to consistently pay down their balance and pay it off over time.

Exceed the minimum

The worst thing you can do when it comes to credit cards is to pay only the minimum balance. Paying only the minimum on a credit card balance is a great way to never get out of debt. It is vital to pay more than the minimum, and to control further spending on the card going forward.

Watch the interest rate

You would probably be surprised at how many people do not know the interest rate they are paying on their credit cards. Knowing the interest rate is absolutely essential to getting a handle on credit card debt, and with the number of credit card offers landing in mailboxes every day, it can be quite a simple matter to find a card with a lower interest rate and transfer the balances to that low interest card.

Often the consumer does not even have to change cards. Credit card companies do not like to lose customers, and one of the little known tricks of the trade is that many banks will lower the interest rate on the card for those who ask, or at least for those who threaten to close their accounts. If you are looking for a lower interest rate on your credit cards, do not be afraid to ask the credit card company. The worst they can do is say no.

Brooke Sikula is a freelance writer based in Ventura, CA and writes on a wide range of topics from home improvement to credit repair and everything in between. She is a regular contributor to http://www.loan-mortgage-auto.com and http://www.home-improvement4u.com For more information and advice on credit issues, check out http://www.credit-card-faq.com