Scott Bilker

Featured Content (1 of 1)

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  DebtSmart Presidential Survey Results

  11/1/2011

  Results are in and it’s clear that the President Obama was the top choice for DebtSmart readers in every question.
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  Where to Find Your Best Credit Offers

  10/26/2011

  Let’s take a close look at an offer I just received from my Barclay Card. This offer came with a cover letter with the details of offers as well as more specifics on the reverse side plus four checks (blue and white).
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  7 Steps for Eliminating Your Debt

  10/23/2011

  Many people may say that shedding debt is common sense: Pay for everything in cash and don’t incur any debt. Yeah, sure, easily said when you have a household income of 70 to 80 thousand (and no kids). Obviously the best way to handle your finances is to
• DebtSmart®: How I Made an Easy $1,800 Profit with My Credit Cards

  2/7/2007

  I was interested in how you borrowed from your credit card at a low interest rate and then invested it in a CD and earned about $1,800.
• DebtSmart®: Penalty Rates

  12/27/2006

  My interest was raised to 28% after "a few" (honestly) late payments. They told me they would review my info in 6 months. Do you think I have a chance of getting them to lower my rate?
• DebtSmart®: Beat the Banks by Threatening to Call the Better Business Bureau

  12/13/2006

  Heidi wrote to me about her problems with a bank that was charging her a ridiculous interest rate of 33%. She had called the bank and was not able to do anything.
• DebtSmart®: David's Talk-Your-Way-Out Results

  11/29/2006

  David S. sent me a wonderful email. David wrote to me to tell me about how well he has been doing by negotiating with his banks. Nothing pleases me more than hearing about the financial successes of my readers! This article is about that success.
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  DEBTSMART VIDEO LIBRARY: 5 Ways to Avoid Holiday Debt

  11/16/2006

  Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, people are going to spend $121.4 billion using their credit cards!

  The key is not to let this debt stick. Don't allow yourself to get buried by that debt or spend the next year paying off the purchases from this holiday season.

  How are you going to pay for t

• DebtSmart®: Tricky Insurance Pays Off

  11/1/2006

  I found out after renewing a credit card that I had been paying for insurance that I wasn't aware of.
• DebtSmart®: Calling Banks for My 82-year-old Mother

  10/18/2006

  I help my 82-year-old mother pay many of her credit card bills. She's scared to call the credit card companies, and I don't want to be added as an authorized user or they will show up on my credit report.
• DebtSmart®: Getting Your Overpayment Refund

  10/4/2006

  Recently, I have taken out a debt consolidation loan. The time from application for the loan to closing on the loan was 3 months.
• DebtSmart®: MBNA Reduced My Limit for No Reason!

  9/20/2006

  A manager got on the line and proceeded to ask me if some questions to verify the credit limit. He then told me that he was reducing my credit limit based on the amount of outstanding credit my husband had.
• Q & A: Credit Card Balance Transfers

  9/7/2006

  Scott, A friend told me that they heard that continually doing balance transfers from one credit card to another can negatively affect my credit rating and that they also heard that there is a limit to how many balance transfers. - Amy
• Car Debt or Credit Debt First?

  9/6/2006

  Does it make sense to start increasing my payments on this loan? Isn't what I will pay on the loan fixed? If this is the case shouldn't I start paying on the next highest interest debt (another credit card) instead?