Girl, Get Your Credit Straight!

Is ?retail therapy? your favorite pastime?even though you really can?t afford it? Do you ignore the balance on your credit card statements, vowing to pay them off at some point down the line? Is your debt preventing you from living your dreams?like buying a home or starting a family? If so, girl, it?s time to get your credit straight!These days, with easy access to multiple credit cards and glossy advertisements that entice us to spend at every turn, it?s all too easy to start racking up debt?and even little slip-ups can lead to real damage over time. In this highly practical follow-up to her bestsellers Girl, Get Your Money Straight! and Girl, Make Your Money Grow!, financial expert Glinda Bridgforth delivers a power-packed plan for paying down debt, repairing your credit score, and securing your financial freedom?along with a future that makes your heart sing.Beginning with simple, engaging exercises to help you assess your spending habits and get clear about what you owe, Girl, Get Your Credit Straight! presents a detailed road map for eliminating debt, one step at a time. You will learn how to: ? Devise a system for tracking expenditures, anticipating end-of-month shortfalls, and paying bills on time, every time? Find ways to supplement your income? Consolidate loans to pay off debt faster, decrease stress, and save time and money? Negotiate with your creditors to come up with a payment plan that works for you? Discover the best loans to use for refinancing debt or making major new purchases? Understand how credit bureaus work--and take steps to improve your scoreFilled with Bridgforth?s warmhearted wisdom and advice, and complete with worksheets, affirmations, and inspiring stories of African American women who?ve restored their credit and built new wealth, Girl, Get Your Credit Straight! is a fresh, empowering guide for any woman who wants to say goodbye to debt?for good.

Credit Repair Kit For Dummies®

The consumer%u2019s straightforward guide to fixing any credit problem Bad credit can ruin a consumer%u2019s chance at qualifying for a mortgage, business loan, or other financial help. Fixing bad credit can be difficult for anyone who doesn%u2019t understand how credit reports work. Fortunately, Credit Repair Kit For Dummies covers all the ins and outs of credit, helping consumers address their credit problems, pay down their debt, and get their finances on the right track. It gives readers step-by-step guidance on repairing credit problems and cleaning up a messy credit history themselves. Readers will also learn to fix credit report mistakes and deal with credit institutions. Plus, a handy CD-ROM gives readers a multitude of samples, lists, budgets, form letters, and much more. Steven R. Bucci (Narragansett, RI) is President of Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Southern New England and the founder of CCCS of Rhode Island. He writes the nationally syndicated column ''Debt Advisor'' for the financial megasite bankrate.com (distributed by Scripps Howard News Service).

50 Ways to Protect Your Identity and Your Credit

The world of credit is fraught with peril. First, there's the enormous and growing risk of identity theft, which victimized nearly 10 million Americans in 2003 alone. But the quieter risks are just as real: inaccurate credit reports that drive up your interest rates or prevent you from getting loans, fine print in credit agreements that can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, 'credit repair' services that only make matters worse. In 25 Ways to Protect Your Identity and Your Credit, consumer finance expert and nationally syndicated radio host Steve Weisman tells you exactly what to watch out for, and how to keep credit disasters from happening to you. Writing in plain English, Weisman reveals how criminals gain access to your credit, bank, or brokerage accounts, open new accounts and take out loans in your name, and how to use the law, technology, and common sense to protect yourself. You'll learn how to recognize 'phishing' scams and dishonest credit counselors, how to understand and eliminate the hidden costs of credit, and much more. Weisman's checklists tell you what to do right now, before you're victimized. And if you've already been attacked, Weisman presents step-by-step techniques, form letters, and affidavits you can use to help restore your credit -- and your good name.

How to Understand Business Finance

As well as learning how to understand the balance sheet and profit and loss account, readers will also grasp the principles of: market dynamics; budgeting and forecasting; fixed and variable costs; break-even analysis; the difference between profit and cash; financial ratios for measuring business performance; investment appraisal; stock market ratios; shareholder value; financial measures for improving business performance, and much more.

Small Business Cash Flow

Many small business owners don?t understand the importance of maintaining a healthy cash flow. More than anything else, cash flow determines the success or failure of a small business. Small Business Cash Flow covers all the basics of cash flow, from selecting a great accountant, to keeping money flowing in and out of the business, to budgeting and record-keeping.