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Bills & Utilities

Did you know that you can get some of the exact same channels that you watch on cable and satellite television right on your computer?

Well...you can!

If you're paying $90 or more a month to have cable or satellite television then you're paying too much.

There is a wealth of television available online that is easy to access and watch if you know where to look.

That is the biggest thing: knowing where to find what you're looking for. Because believe me, as much good stuff as there is available online, there is just as much junk.

Whatever you do, do not buy one of those software packages that "gives you satellite TV on your computer." Nearly all of them are a scam, and you can actually get the same software for free! Yup, that's right for FREE, and I'll tell you how to do that.

Here are 7 free programs that enable you to watch TV and movies on your computer...

The last time I wrote about bankruptcy, I questioned whether or not it was really the answer for someone with high debts.  My conclusion was that filing for bankruptcy was probably not a good idea. 

In case you either decided to ignore that advice or had no other choice, you will need to know about bankruptcy exemptions. 
 
Bankruptcy exemptions are items that are exempt from being sold in order to discharge your debts.

When paying off your bills, you have 3 basic options: 

You can pay off your bill in full.

You can arrange a payment agreement and pay off your bill over time.

You can request a reduced payoff amount. 

In an attempt to get past-due customers to pay their bills off quicker, a debt collector will allow the debtor to pay a lesser amount -- which may be as low as 50% of the original bill balance.  They generally request a lump sum payment, but they may also allow the bill to be split into 3 or 4 payments. 

Here's how to pay off your bills and boost your credit score at the same time... there is a little-known way to do this.

Credit counselors help consumers manage -- and ultimately lower -- their debt.  They promise to negotiate with creditors, create payment plans, and lower the interest rates of those in debt.  A credit counselor's ultimate goal is to help you eliminate your debt. 
 
If you are in debt, a credit counselor will do 3 basic things for you:

1. Credit counselors help you consolidate several monthly payments from different accounts into one monthly payment.  The single payment is usually much less than the sum of the payments you were previously making.
 
2. Credit counselors get your creditors to reduce the interest rates on your credit accounts.  For example, a credit card with an interest rate of 30% may be reduced to as low as 5%. Or they may be able to eliminate interest payments altogether.  This will help you pay off debts faster.
 
3. Credit counselors help you bring delinquent accounts current.  They re-age the account by getting the company to list the account as current after you make several payments on time.

If you are deep in debt and your phone is ringing all day with calls from debt collectors and collection agencies, you are not alone. 

Thanks to the gas crisis, the housing crisis, and constantly rising food costs, a lot of people are dealing with debt collectors on a daily basis. 
 
If you're looking for some debt collection help, including tips for dealing with debt collectors who are harassing you, I've got some advice.  You see, I have been through all of this myself, so I know how to deal with recovering from debt and dealing with debt collectors.

Been there, done that!

In 2006, there were approximately 47 million uninsured Americans. 

Considering the significant number of lost jobs and the current housing crisis, you can imagine how much that number has grown. 

Among those who have to pay for health insurance on their own, it's not uncommon for the health insurance bill to be ranked very low on the list of monthly bills that have to be paid.  After all, it makes more sense to put the immediate need (to keep a roof over your head) first, as opposed to paying for unforeseen expenses (like hospital or doctor bills). 

If you're self-insured (which means you pay for health care expenses out of your own pocket as they arise; also called "self-pay"), or you're uninsured (which means you haven't gotten around to signing up with a health care provider and paying the bills yourself, rather than your employer paying for health insurance for you), then you are most likely under the assumption that you will be able to cover whatever health care costs might arise -- if and when they occur. 

Here are some reasons to think twice about this strategy...

I finally bundled my utilities.
 
I didn't  want to do it.  In fact, I fought it for many years. 

Much like my initial reaction to customer reward cards, I felt like there was something sinister about giving one company so much control.  After a year or so of not using consumer reward cards, I eventually gave in to the fact that using them -- in exchange for allowing stores to analyze my purchases -- would save me a great deal of money.   

Likewise, I have come to the realization that bundling my utilities would also save me a great deal of money.