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		<title>Consumer Credit Counseling For Single Moms</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/consumer-credit-counseling-for-single-moms</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/consumer-credit-counseling-for-single-moms#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:07:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit and Debt Advice]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re like most single parents, you probably struggle with personal debt to some degree. If your unsecured debt is becoming out of hand, you may be asking yourself about the consumer credit counseling providers that you see promoted all of the time. Are these worth your time, effort, and money, or are they just [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you&#8217;re like most single parents, you probably struggle with personal debt to some degree. If your unsecured debt is becoming out of hand, you may be asking yourself about the consumer credit counseling providers that you see promoted all of the time. Are these worth your time, effort, and money, or are they just another scam trying to get a handful of your hard-earned cash from you? While some consumer credit counseling is a good idea to people fighting debt, you need to understand what you&#8217;re getting into before you sign the contract!</p>
<p>1st, you need to know what you can expect when you partner with a <a href="http://peerfly.com/x/0/677/5883/"><strong>consumer credit counseling</strong></a> company to work the right path out of unsecured debt. Among the main services they&#8217;ll offer is helping you produce a practical spending budget which provides you with a chance to pay off your current credit card debt and prevent future credit card debt. They may negotiate with lenders to lower your payment or even your rate of interest, and they may work out a unsecured debt payment plan for you that they will implement on your behalf. They are all steps you can take by yourself, but as a single mom you may not have the time for this.</p>
<p>Of course, these solutions are not free. Despite the fact that most credit counseling companies are non-profit, you will still pay for the services. You may pay out an upfront charge, or you may pay out a % of what you end up saving after using the service. This cash is not really utilized to turn a profit, offering you choose a reputable company, but instead to pay expenses like salaries and overhead.</p>
<p>If you think that you&#8217;ll require additional assistance to deal with your financial situation, then think about partnering with a consumer credit counseling agency. Nevertheless, choose very carefully. Many companies market themselves as consumer credit advocates, however they are actually just seeking to earn profits.</p>
<p>Choose an company that is a member of the <a href="http://www.nfcc.org">National Foundation for Consumer credit counseling </a>or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. These two businesses give a measure of safety for the customer, as well as finding a organization with membership to them will assistance ensure you are getting great assistance. Also, check with the Better Business Bureau and your state&#8217;s Attorney General&#8217;s office to determine if any kind of consumer complaints have already been submitted against the organization you are thinking about. Should they have a good reputation and are a member of either NFCC or AICCCA, then you&#8217;ve probably found a good company to support you work your way out of credit debt.</p>
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		<title>Financial Help for Single Moms with Bad Credit</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/financial-help-for-single-moms-with-bad-credit</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/financial-help-for-single-moms-with-bad-credit#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:20:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit and Debt Advice]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Whenever applying for a car loan, you can get competing car loan prices by negotiating finest offer. Even though auto loan companies address car loan prices, you are able to bring amazing change for better in these prices through skillful handling of information in your favor. What affects loan prices for single women? Your credit [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Whenever applying for a car loan, you can get competing car loan prices by negotiating finest offer. Even though auto loan companies address car loan prices, you are able to bring amazing change for better in these prices through skillful handling of information in your favor.</p>
<p>What affects loan prices for single women?</p>
<p>Your <a href="http://peerfly.com/x/0/677/5883/">credit rating</a> is an essential factor for car personal loan rates. Good credit score will help you negotiate strongly for lowering personal loan prices compared to for those who have bad credit. Some vehicle companies organize various contests and prizes each month. Purchase your car towards end of calendar month because after that sales representatives reduce vehicle rates largely because they have to improve revenue numbers. Decrease in car costs lowers your personal loan rates.</p>
<p>Negotiation may be the key to greatest auto personal loan rates. While trying to get loan, do not put forth your highest repayment amount. Instead, discuss with car loan provider to obtain lower payments. Do not stay with single car loan provider always. There are many such auto personal loan companies providing competitive rates on your personal loan total.</p>
<p>Visit and inquire with different auto loan companies to get best auto loan prices. Go into minutest detail of available loan amount and various charges like closing fees and costs. Some car personal loan companies include these fees inside total personal loan and you pay interest thereon. Some others don&#8217;t include these types of fees into total amount and thus, your yearly percent prices are usually lower here.</p>
<p>Down payments lower your monthly repayments and interest thereon. Time for payments is also less. Therefore, you can repay loan quicker and project great credit rating as quicker repayment periods make sure you repay much less interest. Auto dealers charge differential car personal loan rates for different makes of car. Therefore, choose which vehicle you would like purchase before applying for auto loan. If you\&#8217;re not able to choose car type, go in for flexible auto loan so that you are able to adjust prices based on car you purchase. Your credit scores also influence your personal loan prices. Normally, scores over 750 speak well of your credit rating position and you receive best prices for your <a href="http://peerfly.com/x/0/677/5883/">car loan</a>.</p>
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		<title>Free Budget Worksheets For Moms</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/free-budget-worksheets-for-moms</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/free-budget-worksheets-for-moms#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:20:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budgeting and Saving Money]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Factoring your monthly expenditures to get the best gain on your earnings (and maybe, even put away some for saving!) doesn’t have to be extremely hard. Numerous cash strategy applications are available to be used. Money management applications provide you with a typical bundle that allows you to enter your income inflows and outflows, categorizes [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Factoring your monthly expenditures to get the best gain on your earnings (and maybe, even put away some for saving!) doesn’t have to be extremely hard.</p>
<p>Numerous cash strategy applications are available to be used. Money management applications provide you with a typical bundle that allows you to enter your income inflows and outflows, categorizes your expenses, and at occasions, presents for you analysis of your respective expending behavior. By means of these programs you can also input the various repayments you need to make month-to-month, and subsequently track if you have paid your dues on time. Furthermore, some programs also provide you with a tax form draft that can help you make certain you’re not passing up on any dues or any deductibles, for that matter.</p>
<p>Another cash strategy tool that you could make use of are discount codes. Various stores and publications include discount codes that you could make use of to obtain discounts on numerous products. Should there be a need to buy a particular product that you&#8217;ve a discount for, you will end up saving a part of that which you might have needed to spend on a regular purchase.</p>
<p>Lists—whether on some paper, on the mobile phone, or even on the personal digital assistant (PDA) can help you maintain focused on exactly what you have to purchase, and in result, record the acquisitions you are making. A classic example is your regular food market trip. Just before making your journey, prepare the week’s whole menu and identify exactly what foodstuffs and materials you have to purchase that are not available in your kitchen. Then, take an inventory of other household items which you’ve run out of (or are eventually likely to uses up before you make the next trip to the food market). Armed with these lists, you can go to the grocery and know precisely where to search and exactly what you’re planning on buying. With out these types of lists, you&#8217;ll wander idly along shelves, and will most likely get different food items that you probably won&#8217;t likely require within the immediate future, or already have at home.</p>
<p>A filing system is perhaps among the best budgeting tools you can possess in your house. With simple, tagged file folders, you can place together your bills, your receipts, and whatever bank documents are issued to you personally when you save or pay out. By assembling your bills, your credit card receipts, and so on, you are able to keep an eye on exactly how much you borrowed from and when your payments are due.</p>
<p>Efficient budgeting methods are the ones that best address your needs as a customer. Produce your own budgeting application or look for a plan to do it for you—just make sure it suits your lifestyle.</p>
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		<title>Child Support Help &#8211; Myths And Facts Explained</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/child-support-help-myths-and-facts-explained</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/child-support-help-myths-and-facts-explained#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Apr 2010 21:21:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budgeting and Saving Money]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Pursuing child support might be a daunting task for a single mom. Not only is the legal system complicated and scary, people who work in the area of child support assistance in many cases are weighed down and overworked &#8211; resulting in slow communication and a sensation that you don&#8217;t have anybody on your side [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Pursuing child support might be a daunting task for a single mom. Not only is the legal system complicated and scary, people who work in the area of child support assistance in many cases are weighed down and overworked &#8211; resulting in slow communication and a sensation that you don&#8217;t have anybody on your side inside the ongoing economic fight.</p>
<p>Remember the reason why you are going after child support! Your own kids need to have financial assistance, and you should not need to do that alone. Navigating the dirty seas of the child support system can be a difficult process, however your kids is depending upon you to be able to throw themselves in and make an attempt.</p>
<p>There are some misconceptions concerning child support which are detrimental to single moms. Here are some of the common myths &#8211; and the facts that dismiss them!</p>
<p><strong>Myth: He claims he&#8217;s not working, therefore he does not owe child support.</strong></p>
<p>False! If a court has ordered a judgment regarding child support, that individual is liable for the payments, regardless of whether or not they have got any income to declare. The total amount owed will accumulate, and once they do obtain a employment, they&#8217;ll be accountable for back repayments as well as present ones.</p>
<p><strong>Myth: I make enough income to support my family, therefore he&#8217;s off the hook.</strong></p>
<p>Completely wrong! It doesn&#8217;t matter how much cash you&#8217;re making &#8211; the dad of the little one carries a duty to that child, plus it cannot be washed away simply because you&#8217;ve got a balanced banking accounts. He probably won&#8217;t need to pay as much child support, however he will be required to pay some thing.</p>
<p><strong>Myth: When he pays child support, a legal court may give him visitation &#8211; and the kids don&#8217;t wish to see him.</strong></p>
<p>This is not always the situation. If there is a legitimate, persuasive motive why this man should not have contact with his children &#8211; in the event of sexual abuse, for instance &#8211; then your court won&#8217;t require that he be allowed visitation. However, that does not remove the father from having to pay child support. Giving monetary help to his kid will not automatically mean he is getting visitation &#8211; paying child support does not &#8220;entitle&#8221; him to that.</p>
<p><strong>Myth: I can not acquire back child support because my children are currently older than 18.</strong></p>
<p>That isn&#8217;t correct! Back child support within order from the court will be due and payable, regardless of the age of the kids. Child support cases can be obtained decades after the kids are out of your home and have familys that belongs to them. When there is a ruling it is in place plus the the courtroom may find the deadbeat dad, you can still collect the child support payable from many years previous. Sometimes the amount of money may not go to you, but will go directly to the grownup kids.</p>
<p>The laws and regulations in every states vary, therefore be sure to check with your child support business office concerning what you could do for your children and their own financial well-being. Do not fall victim to the misconceptions that will keep you from collecting the child support your kids ought to have!</p>
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		<title>How To Create A Budget That Works For Single Moms</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/how-to-create-a-budget-that-works-for-single-moms</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/how-to-create-a-budget-that-works-for-single-moms#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:07:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budgeting and Saving Money]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[As a single mom, a financial budget is actually the one thing which will get you from paycheck to paycheck. Unless you are a highly payed individual, the possible lack of a second income in your household hurts. As a result, you have to set out a budget so that you can help you plan [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As a single mom, a financial budget is actually the one thing which will get you from paycheck to paycheck. Unless you are a highly payed individual, the possible lack of a second income in your household hurts. As a result, you have to set out a budget so that you can help you plan for every monetary need.</p>
<p>The initial step towards developing a spending plan is collecting info. Gather your bank statements, receipts, credit card statements, and any other document that will show you the way you have spent cash. Once you&#8217;ve these kinds of papers at hand, jot down all of the places where you obtain cash. Obviously you have your job, nevertheless you may also have child support payments or perhaps a 2nd revenue from a<a href="http://66000bzzv2g2mzbh-j12akip3k.hop.clickbank.net/"> home based online job</a>. Write every one of these down.</p>
<p>With the paperwork you collected at the beginning, take an inventory of the expenses you have. Don&#8217;t put money quantities with them yet, however merely categorize them. For instance, your mortgage loan, grocery store costs, power bills, and money spent on clothes must all be included. Keep in mind to include money for financial savings whilst making this plan.</p>
<p>Once you have a summary of expenditures, decide which ones are fixed and also those that can alter from month to month. The fixed expenses, for example your mortgage, are easy to prepare for, however the adjustable expenses require a little more work. With any expenses you are able to, get on a tight budget plan that will turn variable expenses into fixed. Then, guess how much spent on average every month for the varied expenses. Write down all of the expenses.</p>
<p>Now you are ready to compare your income to your expenditures. If you have more costs than you have income, cut any unnecessary ones. Perhaps you could pack your lunch rather than eating out while at work. Maybe you could potentially spend less on clothing monthly. Keep in mind that saving money is the priority, so seek out other areas to make changes.</p>
<p>Now that you have a plan, stay with it. Should you budget $100 per month for clothing, don&#8217;t spend more than this. If you&#8217;d like the latest pantsuit for work and it is more expensive than $100, save your clothes cash for a few of months until you have sufficient. Just spend the amount of money that you have coming in, and make sure to put aside money for personal savings.</p>
<p>Lastly, look over your own budget every month and make modifications whenever required. A budget is a fluid thing, therefore some thing is not working, make an adjustment. On the other hand, keep the budget within the parameters of exactly what you make, and this will save you from dropping too deeply into personal debt.</p>
<p>Get going right now download a <a href="http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/downloads-for-single-moms">Monthly Budget Form</a></p>
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		<title>Can Printable Online Coupons Really Save You Money?</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/can-printable-online-coupons-really-save-you-money</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/can-printable-online-coupons-really-save-you-money#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:22:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>luke</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budgeting and Saving Money]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Everyone is looking for ways to spend less on their food. After all, with increasingly more of our budgets going in the vehicle&#8217;s gas tank, much less remains to cover food, while the price of goods proceeds to increase. One strategy for saving cash is by using printable on the web coupon codes regularly. At [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Everyone is looking for ways to spend less on their food. After all, with increasingly more of our budgets going in the vehicle&#8217;s gas tank, much less remains to cover food, while the price of goods proceeds to increase. One strategy for saving cash is by using printable on the web coupon codes regularly.</p>
<p>At this point, before you start arguing that it must be too time consuming to make use of coupon codes, you should know that there are fresh alternatives for you to take into account. As an example, you can now <strong>printable on-line coupon codes</strong>, so you do not have to be worried about clipping them from the papers. Nevertheless, to make the most out of discount coupons, here is what you need to do.</p>
<p>First, when you get coupon codes, sort them instantly. Should you see coupons for items you totally in no way purchase, throw these out. There&#8217;s no cause to hang on to them.</p>
<p>After that, produce a simple and fast organization technique. A sizable container with document tab cards would certainly work. Sort your coupon codes by class, simply because when you decide to shop you do not want to be searching through a huge heap of coupon codes. Make the categories something easy for you, like as dairy, home items, meat, or what ever additional types come to your head.</p>
<p>Clip the discount coupons you foresee utilizing, and put them into their correct groups. Nevertheless, as you are cutting coupons, attempt to look for the ones that have a very big discount. Remember, saving just ten cents or so is not really worth your time and energy. You are busy as a single mom, after all.</p>
<p>Next, find out if you&#8217;re able to locate shops which double their discount coupons. This is really a great way to instantaneously enhance your savings. Numerous supermarkets have a policy that allows you to get double value for discount codes up to a certain face worth. Some have this offer all the time, and some may offer double or triple discount coupons occasionally.</p>
<p>Lastly, try to match coupon codes to sale items. If you notice that a particular brand of sandwich baggies is for sale, and you&#8217;ve got a coupon for that product, utilize it while they are on sale. This is the best way to <a href="http://www.singlemomfinancialhelp.com/">maximize your savings</a>!</p>
<p>Finally, move through your promotion box monthly to dispose of any expired discount codes. This should help you un-clutter your box, making it simpler to find the discount codes you will need once you make your next grocery store list. Remember, you can save a great deal if you use your coupons logically, and it merely requires a little bit of time to cut and store them!</p>
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		<title>Babybsitting &amp; Daycare Center Resources for Single Moms</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/babybsitting-daycare-center-resources-for-single-moms</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/babybsitting-daycare-center-resources-for-single-moms#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:23:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>luke</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budgeting and Saving Money]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[As being a single mother presents a lot of challenges, but one of the biggest is actually discovering someone to watch after the kids while you are at work. Traditional childcare can be like a second mortgage within several towns, and daycare center philosophies may vary from center to center so when you&#8217;re struggling to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As being a single mother presents a lot of challenges, but one of the biggest is actually discovering someone to watch after the kids while you are at work. Traditional childcare can be like a second mortgage within several towns, and daycare center philosophies may vary from center to center so when you&#8217;re struggling to make ends meet since it is, that will not be an option. If earning a living from home isn&#8217;t really a possibility either, there are other areas to look for daycare or babysitting options.</p>
<p>The easiest way to look for affordable childcare is to network with other single parents within your community. You are not necessarily the only single mother in town &#8211; plus you are certainly not the only one looking for daycare. Check your community classifieds or even bulletin boards in the food store (or other retailers) with regard to postings. There could be a child care co-op in position where moms trade off childcare responsibilities. If there&#8217;s not, you could start 1. Offer to trade daycare providers with mothers who work different schedules than you. For instance, you might find a single mommy that operates nights, but could watch your children during the day time in exchange for yourself watching her children at night.</p>
<p>An execllent location to watch out for daycare help is on a nearby school campus. For those who have an extra room within your house, you could offer this to a live-in baby sitter. There are plenty of undergrad and grad students searching for places to live. He/she might watch your children while you&#8217;re at the office as a swap for room and board. Of course, this option would certainly demand cautious screening and selection. If you don&#8217;t have an extra room in the house, or are uncomfortable with a roommate, you may manage to find a college or grad student prepared to babysit for a fair cost. Check with the college&#8217;s child psychology or education programs for reference.</p>
<p>If you want help getting inexpensive daycare resources, check with the &#8220;Child Care and Development Fund&#8221; for low-income monetary support. NACCRRA (National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) is also a great resource. Be sure to apply for child care grants-you can find them on the internet by searching &#8220;childcare grants for single mothers&#8221;. There are many grants of this nature available to struggling single mothers.</p>
<p>When looking for daycare, look for the daycare center philosophy and try to keep in mind to ask for referrals and to be sure you are at ease with the man or women or people who will be watching your kids. In the long run, that&#8217;s the key factor.</p>
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		<title>Remove Negative Items from Credit History</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/remove-negative-items-from-credit-history</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/remove-negative-items-from-credit-history#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:17:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>luke</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit and Debt Advice]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[How Do You Build Credit-Tips for Starting A Positive Credit History By: Amy Wells Almost everyone needs credit. If you are renting an apartment, applying for a mortgage, applying for a car loan, or even applying for a job, you will need some type of credit history, as credit decisions are often based on your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>How Do You Build Credit-Tips for Starting A Positive Credit History By: Amy Wells</p>
<p>Almost everyone needs credit. If you are renting an apartment,  applying for a mortgage, applying for a car loan, or even applying for a  job, you will need some type of credit history, as credit decisions are  often based on your prior use of credit. If you are a young adult or  are still in college, you have a unique opportunity to start building a  solid credit history that can serve you for many years to come. By  carefully building credit and avoiding credit mistakes, you can insure a  strong credit history.</p>
<p>Although you may not have credit yet, you should try to get a copy of  your credit report for the credit bureaus, so you can check if there is  any inaccurate information. Additionally, you will want to make sure  that you haven&#8217;t been a victim of identity theft, with someone using  your name and trashing your credit. The three bureaus are: Equifax,  Experian and Trans Union, and they can be contacted online, as well as  by phone and mail.</p>
<p>One of the first steps to building credit is to open a checking and a  savings account in your name. You may already have an account, and it  is something many lenders will look at, as it show stability. If you  only have a checking account, you may also want to open a savings  account as well, which can be used as collateral for a secured loan, if  necessary.</p>
<p>You should also have as many bills as you can listed in your name,  such as your telephone and cellular bill. Make sure you pay all of your  bills on time, as this is a major factor in your credit score. If you  can, try to establish the accounts in your name only.</p>
<p>The next step would be to get a credit card. If you are a student,  you may be bombarded by credit offers on campus. Its a good idea to get  one credit card, so if you find one available with low interest rates  and a low or no annual fee, you may want to apply. Student credit cards  are mainly designed for people with no prior credit, and they accept a  large percentage of applicants. However, don&#8217;t get more than one card,  as its too easy to start running up balances, and it also looks better  for your credit if you don&#8217;t open a number of accounts in a short period  of time.</p>
<p>If you are unable to get an unsecured credit card, you still have  some options to establish credit with a credit card. If you have a <a href="http://www.singlemomfinancialhelp.com/">savings account</a>, your  bank may let you apply for a secured credit card tied to your savings  account. Over time, once you make regular on time payments, you should  be able to qualify for a non-secured card. You should also make sure  your payments are reported to the credit bureaus, otherwise you won&#8217;t be  building your credit history.</p>
<p>Another option is to get a co-signer. If someone has good credit,  that will extend it to you, by putting their name as being jointly  responsible for your limit on your card. This will help your credit  history if you pay off the loan in a responsible way. If you do have a  co-signer, you have a serious responsibility to make sure your payments  are timely, or you will hurt their credit as well as your own.</p>
<p>With some foresight, it can be relatively easy to start building  credit. Once you get a credit card, its important to keep the balance  low, and to make regular, on time payments. The card should be used as a  tool for credit building, not as a additional spending money. Over  time, you credit will start to look better and better.</p>
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		<title>Single Mothers and Money Problems</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/single-mothers-and-money-problems</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/single-mothers-and-money-problems#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:16:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>luke</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit and Debt Advice]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Being a single mother and still providing for yourself or your children can be a very stressful and frustrating experience. There are many problems with finances, loans for single mothers and getting help isn&#8217;t always easy so here are some services you should be aware of. Education loans can be very tough to pay back, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Being a single mother and still providing for yourself or your  children can be a very stressful and frustrating experience. There are  many problems with finances, loans for single mothers and getting help  isn&#8217;t always easy so here are some services you should be aware of.</p>
<p>Education loans can be very tough to pay back, should you have debts  remaining on your student loans. This may force many moms to consolidate  their payments, which will put them into debt for 10-30 years, but  allow them to keep out of bankruptcy longer. If you have children who  wish to obtain student loans, and you are a single mother, it is harder  to get such loans for a few reasons. First, women usually make less  money than men. If you are a single mom, you don&#8217;t have a partner&#8217;s help  with income, and also earn less than a man would. You are also less  likely to have enough collateral to prove that you can pay the loans  back, and you are more likely to have previous debts to pay. A popular  option instead of a student loan are grants  for women.</p>
<p>Like education loans, automobile and home loans operate in the same  manner. You are more likely to be rejected for a house rather than an  apartment, since houses on average cost much more. Automobiles also put  single moms at a disadvantage- since automobiles often break down,  requiring more money be spent. This makes the odds that a single mother  can pay back a loan less likely, as maintenance can eat up much of a  single mother&#8217;s income.</p>
<p>Business loans are another subject that may cause single mothers to  have trouble obtaining loans. This is increasingly harder than other  loans, since businesses are extremely risky operations. The odds of  maintaining a successful business is usually quite low for small  business owners. Having sufficient collateral is again a problem with  single mothers, forcing many to not get the needed business loans to  start their own business. Single mothers usually have a lower credit  score, since they incur more debts than other couples or single men  on average. This will also lead to a lesser chance of getting approved  by credit card companies, making the buying power of single mothers even  more burdensome.</p>
<p>However, there are ways to influence or take advantage of situations  in favor of single mothers. You may speak with the Department of Social  Services for things such as welfare, food stamps, child support, medical  programs, and child care assistance. These programs can be found in  phone books, government agencies or on this website. There is a lot of  paperwork to apply, and the waiting time can be very long. The wait is  often worth it, since single moms need all the help they can get.</p>
<p>School lunch and breakfast programs should be taken advantage of.  This is a federal program that gives reduced prices or even free lunches  and breakfast to kids who attend school, and eat at the school. Other  grants can help you in funding for food or even gas and heating bills.  Churches often have programs to help as well, and you should explore all  of these options for a better life for children a single mom may have.  Reduced prescriptions and free counseling are also available to those  who apply- so make sure you take advantage of such offers to the  fullest.</p>
<p>When looking to improve your credit score, you should have family  members or roommates split bills, and put some bills in your name. This  will improve your dependability and credit rating. Also make sure that  you stay away from penalties such as bounced checks, which can  effectively ruin your credit. Doing this will eventually raise your  credit score enough to gain some respect among loan specialists, which  can bring you to a new step above where you previously were.</p>
<p>When you have better access to loans, you can get lower rates. You  can better obtain a business loan, for example, with your improved  credit rating. You may also co-sign loans with family members to add  credit to your score- and regular payments will again boost it. In case  you can not make a payment, the money is then billed to your family  member- so either way the bank will most likely get its money. This is  the best way to obtain a loan if you are not qualified enough, and doing  so is one of the best ways to improve your credit.</p>
<p>Over all, single  mothers are at a disadvantage. Statistically, they will make less  money and not qualify for loans. They will also have more poor living  experiences, and will have less buying power. Following the previous  steps will allow single moms to achieve a better way of life for them or  their children, regardless of their standing in society&#8217;s hierarchy.</p>
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		<title>How To Negotiate Credit Card Debt</title>
		<link>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/how-to-negotiate-credit-card-debt</link>
		<comments>http://financialhelpsinglemoms.com/how-to-negotiate-credit-card-debt#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:15:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>luke</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit and Debt Advice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost/singlemom/?p=49</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Credit card companies might seem like daunting places, businesses so big that they would never listen to a mere cardholder, much less a single mom who happens to be far in debt with them. But you might be surprised at how responsive the credit card companies will be if you simply ask them for some [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Credit card companies might seem like daunting places, businesses so  big that they would never listen to a mere cardholder, much less a  single mom who happens to be far in debt with them. But you might be  surprised at how responsive the credit card companies will be if you  simply ask them for some help and appeal to the customer service  representative&#8217;s sense of goodwill. In order to negotiate credit card  debt you need to first make the call and talk with your credit card  company.</p>
<p>If you have always made payments on time and always met your minimum  or paid even more when you could, you&#8217;re in an excellent position to  negotiate your interest rate. Call your credit card company, point out  how &#8220;good&#8221; you have been during the life of the card, and ask if they  might be able to lower your interest rate.  Even if you haven&#8217;t been able to make payments on time, you still might  have a bargaining chip. Explain your financial situation and you might  be surprised at what happens. If you are honest with the credit card  companies, they tend to help you as much as they can.</p>
<p>If you know you can&#8217;t make your minimum payments, ask them to suspend  your account and negotiate monthly payments. That way, they know you  won&#8217;t be getting deeper into debt, and you will be paying them a certain  amount every month. They would rather have a little bit of money than  none at all!</p>
<p>Alternatively, ask if you can pay a settlement &#8211; a portion of your  debt in order to wipe the slate clean. If you can pay a lump sum amount  of the balance, you might be able to get out from under the debt with  only a 25 percent payment on the total.</p>
<p>No matter what your credit card arrangements, get them in writing.  Simply talking to someone over the phone is not enough. Make sure they  send you information on your new rates or payment plans. If they don&#8217;t  send this immediately, follow up. Make sure you have the name of the  person who helped you in the first place, and make detailed notes on  every conversation so that you have some sort of evidence to back up the  conversation.</p>
<p>If you are in trouble with your debts, consider credit counseling  services. They can help you get back on track while paying off your  debts in a timely fashion, and everyone is happy in the end.</p>
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