http://www.financealley.com en-us editorial@financealley.com 10 Ways To Annoy Telemarketers Michael Knowles Don't you just hate it when you sit down to eat and the phone rings? Or maybe you are in the middle of your favourite show and the phone rings and for some reason you don't have a Tivo and you can't paus... http://www.financealley.com/article_12935_15.html 21st October 2005 They Don't Want You to Pay Michael Knowles In all your dealings with credit cards, remember this one thing: they don't want you to pay. The moment you pay back everything you owe, you're free from their interest, and that's not what they want. They wa... http://www.financealley.com/article_12333_19.html 14th October 2005 So You Missed a Payment Michael Knowles There are three reasons that you might have missed a payment on your credit card: either you can't afford to pay, the payment didn't get there in time or you just plain forgot. I sympathize: paying credit card b... http://www.financealley.com/article_12332_19.html 14th October 2005 The Human Side: Debt Stress Michael Knowles In all the technical discussion you hear about credit card debt, the best ways to manage it and pay it off and all the rest, one thing goes largely ignored. Credit card debt is extremely stressful, and can h... http://www.financealley.com/article_12331_19.html 14th October 2005 You're Not Alone: Credit Card StatisticsMichael KnowlesDo you have any idea just how common credit cards are? Let's take a look at a few statistics from the USA.The average family carries a balance of between $5,000 and $8,00... http://www.financealley.com/article_12328_63.html 14th October 2005 Stop Paying the Minimum Michael Knowles Credit cards are there to put you in debt and keep you in debt. When they do it, they have one tool at their disposal that is more effective than all the others. It's called the minimum payment. What's a Mini... http://www.financealley.com/article_12327_19.html 14th October 2005 Pay it Back Strategically Michael Knowles When you're paying back debts, a little strategy can make a difference of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The best strategy is simple, but effective. Create An Emergency Fund You should have an emer... http://www.financealley.com/article_12326_19.html 14th October 2005 A Credit Card Jargon Buster Michael Knowles Credit cards, as part of the financial industry, use a massive array of jargon. You can't be expected to recognise all these technical terms, and some of them are quite important � so her... http://www.financealley.com/article_12325_19.html 14th October 2005 Beware the Sudden Rate Hike Michael Knowles There are some credit card lenders out there who are trying to scam you. They'll offer you a good interest rate, wait for you to spend a lot of money, and then suddenly jack up the interest through the roof.... http://www.financealley.com/article_12323_19.html 14th October 2005 Always Avoid Payment Holidays Michael Knowles Once you've been paying off a credit card for a while, you might be offered a 'payment holiday'. You'll get a letter, saying that since the company knows it's difficult for some families around Christmas (... http://www.financealley.com/article_12322_19.html 14th October 2005 Should I Get a Consolidation Loan? Michael Knowles If you've got a really unmanageable amount of credit card debt, you might be considering a consolidation loan. This is a loan that you can use to pay off all your debts, meaning that you can pay them ... http://www.financealley.com/article_12321_19.html 14th October 2005 Before the Last Resort: What to Do If You're Considering Bankruptcy Michael Knowles Filing for bankruptcy is an extreme move, not a quick fix. It's a long, painful process with a huge stigma, and you're unlikely to be able to get any kind of credit fo... http://www.financealley.com/article_12320_19.html 14th October 2005 Negotiating Your Debts Michael Knowles If you're in a really bad situation, and you just can't even make your minimum payments this month, don't worry. You can negotiate your debts, and pay back much less than you owe – as long as they get their debt ... http://www.financealley.com/article_12317_19.html 14th October 2005 The Liars and Scammers of the Credit Card Industry Michael Knowles In the world of credit cards, there are plenty of people who are desperate to borrow money, and just as many people who are desperate to get back out of debt again. Given that, it's no... http://www.financealley.com/article_12316_19.html 14th October 2005 Alternatives To Credit Cards Michael Knowles Are you one of those people who only ever got a credit card for the convenience of being able to pay without cash, or because you weren't aware of any other easy way to borrow money? Millions of us are, tha... http://www.financealley.com/article_12238_19.html 13th October 2005 What You Need to Know Credit Card Interest Rates Michael Knowles For all the people that shop around for the best credit card rates, there are few who have taken the time to sit down and add it all up. After all, why would you bother? The answer is th... http://www.financealley.com/article_12166_19.html 12th October 2005 Top Five Credit Card Mistakes Michael Knowles When you're dealing with credit cards, you're playing with fire. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who don't realize that, and make all sorts of dangerous mistakes with their credit cards... http://www.financealley.com/article_12165_19.html 12th October 2005 How To Get The Best Rates On Your Current Credit Cards Michael Knowles So you've got a few credit cards, and you're quite happy with them overall. Still, wouldn't it be nice to save a little money on interest? It all adds up over time, and more quick... http://www.financealley.com/article_12164_19.html 12th October 2005 Understanding Credit Card Terms And Conditions Michael Knowles When you're looking at a credit card offer, take a look at the small print. It seems like a maze, but it's vitally important. With the trend nowadays towards easier-to-read 'summary boxes... http://www.financealley.com/article_12163_19.html 12th October 2005 What Should You Do if You Get Turned Down for a Credit Card? Michael Knowles So you've gone through the long and terrible process of giving your details, only to find that you got turned down. This can feel a little insulting, like a rejection, especi... http://www.financealley.com/article_12159_19.html 12th October 2005 Finding The Right Credit Card Michael Knowles There are so many credit cards out there to choose from that deciding which one to get can feel really daunting. What makes one offer better than the hundreds of others you've seen? Take this little quiz t... http://www.financealley.com/article_11921_19.html 12th October 2005 How Your Credit Rating Affects You And How To Check It Michael Knowles You might not know it, but every time you take out any kind of loan or credit or pay something back, it gets counted on your credit rating. Who keeps a record on you will vary acco... http://www.financealley.com/article_11920_19.html 12th October 2005 Credit Card Checks and Cash Advances Michael Knowles Once you've got a credit card, you'll find that you can do more with it than just pay for things with the card. You might be sent a credit card checkbook, for those times when you're paying someone ... http://www.financealley.com/article_11919_19.html 12th October 2005 Why Credit Cards are a Bad Idea Michael Knowles If you can use a Debit Card tied to your checking account instead of credit cards then you should. If you feel that you must use credit cards then please use them responsibility. After all credit cards... http://www.financealley.com/article_11918_19.html 12th October 2005 Ten Ways To Make The Most Out Of An Affiliate Program Any business, online or offline, that wouldn't require any initial cash layout, would be a win-win situation. Now let me tell you upfront, you will not make any money with affiliate programs if yo... http://www.financealley.com/article_11474_15.html 06th October 2005 8 Ways To Increase The Perceived Value Of Your Freebies In affiliate marketing it is very important to have your own unique selling point. Imagine for a good quality product there are probably hundreds of affiliates selling it. They all send visitors ... http://www.financealley.com/article_11471_15.html 06th October 2005