Question:   Out of all the consumer debt solutions, is consumer credit counseling a good idea and are these agencies for real?

Answer:      Working with a knowledgeable debt counseling service is a great idea, but you have to be sure and qualify whomever you decide to take advice from.

Consumer debt counseling often gets confused with what a debt consolidation company does. The difference between the two are far and wide. Many debt consolidation companies are outright scams. They make ridiculous claims that they can reduce or eliminate your debt simply be contacting your creditors on your behalf.

Beware, most debt consolidation services do not seek to improve your knowledge and skill-set around personal finance, they only seek to collect fees for their services.

Real consumer debt solutions take a much different and more effective approach. Instead of making a few feeble attempts at reducing your debt and charging you money for doing so, these agencies work to counsel you and help you get to the heart of your money issues.

Their goal is to provide knowledgeable debt counselors who provide quality debt counseling that will help you understand debt, personal finances, and learn how to improve these important areas of your life. Best of all, they will not charge you an arm and a leg for their services.

Using these agencies to their fullest is a great idea because they will provide you with solid personal finance information and advice, while also helping you to understand how your prior behavior led to the current financial mess.

Debt and credit counseling can be found in a myriad of places. Your local church or service organization may offer debt free services such as a class you can take on the subject. Also, there are a large number of websites, such as this one, that provide free insightful articles on how to tackle debt issues.

The things you will learn are simple. The aim is to adjust your financial behavior so you make better spending decisions, budget more effectively and find ways to save extra money whenever possible.

Consumer debt solutions will show you that with some work and dedication, you will be able to successfully payoff your debt and enjoy the freedom that comes with living debt free.

To be clear, there is no need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to learn how to get out of debt. Use only proven consumer debt solutions in order to get your finances back on track.

There are definitely some debt counseling agencies that are real. They know that not everyone has perfect credit or fully understands how to manage their personal finances. So don’t be afraid to get help if you need it because staying in debt leads to only more debt down the road.

You are the one person that put yourself in a position of debt. Ultimately, you are the only person that can get yourself out, but a few tips from a wise financial counselor never hurt anyone.

» How does debt affect my employment, and will we ever see a debt free America?
If we lived in a debt free America, there would be no such issue or concern. Most potential employers do require you to sign a waiver that allows them to pull your credit report.

» Does it make sense to use gift credit cards so I earn award points, rebates or mileage?
Various gift credit cards, whether for cash rebates, mileage or points reward programs do not make using credit cards a good thing. The money, mileage or points earned will never be enough to justify the risk that in inherent to playing the credit card game.

» What’s the history of credit cards, and how do I distinguish between good debt and bad debt?
Debt is dumb, it should be avoided at all costs. Just look at the history of credit cards. Less than 50 years ago, it would have been shameful to buy on credit.

Return to "Main FAQ" Page from.... Consumer Debt Solutions page.