Credit Guide

By Iona Minton Most people spend their days in a constant rush with little opportunity to slow down or relax with family and friends. Sadly leisurely shopping sprees have become a luxury of the past and speed shopping in packed stores is the new norm. To avoid the crush and save time there has been a massive increase in online shopping. Why leave your comfortable couch or the office when you can visit the web for latest updates on books, music and DVDs You can even order your groceries or clothing online. Despite the obvious benefits many people still feel a bit uneasy about the ease of going online. The truth is there are some potential risks, especially when inputting credit card and other personal details on the web, which can certainly out-weigh all that convenience, when things go belly-up. card consolidation credit debt

The benefits of online shopping are fantastic; no annoying checkout queues, no parking hassles or shoving to get inside crowded shopping centre, no rude salespeople and buying online is often tax free, comments Shirley Dare, ClubCard and Financial Services Manager for Clicks. The dangers also need to be highlighted so that shoppers know what to watch out for, although most of these risks apply to all shopping experience both in-store and on-line. People should never let their credit card out of their sight. By the same token giving out credit card details online is basically the same thing as physically handing over a card. So common sense is the best defense against potential theft or hazards. Just be careful and use the same safety measures that you would in the real world and shopping online can be a life (and time) saver. credit union

The most common and obvious thing to look out for is the legitimacy of the website that you are shopping on; make sure that the pages you type information into are protected by a Thawte, Verisign or another online website security providers certificate, do this by checking for anyone of their logos on the secured page(s). Other signs of online security are the closed padlock on the page and the s in the web address: https://.... Make sure you check this on each new page that you click through to. Also check that the website address is correct and that you have a direct link, dont shop on a site that requires redirection or go through the process of checking their security certificate again. Double check this by looking at the address of the site when online and make sure it is the same address you typed into your address bar, and that you have not been redirected to an unsecured site. merchant credit guide co

These logos and signs are all protected to ensure that not just any hacker off the street can copy and paste them onto their site to fool the consumer into giving his/her credit card details and other personal details that could be used for fraudulent purposes. This is done through the use of public key certificates which require the digital signature provided by Thawte, Verisign or its equivalent, as well as the public key, which is information provided by either the singular user or in the case of large corporate companies there is a company public key which each user applies his or her own username and password to. Should any certificate be under suspicion there is a public access Certificate Revocation List (CRL) that the certificate in question can be checked against which lists all revoked and terminated certificates. The other way is to query the certificates authority using the Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) to find out the status of a specific certificate. All certificates that are under question or have been terminated are listed here. The certificate provider, e.g. Thawte, authenticates the certificate by allowing users to click on it (the certificate) and be taken through to a page generated by the certificate provider, where the status of the certificate is displayed. Provided you are taken to a page on the Thawte website, if it is a Thawte certificate and the status is displayed as valid, you can take comfort that the secured webpage(s) (https://) which that website uses to capture payment details are being secured and the information you provide will be encrypted and sent over the Internet in an unrecognisable format. apply online for credit card

Once you are certain that the site is secure be clever with your access details and make 100% sure they are safe at all times. When choosing a security password dont use something obvious like your birth date or name, try to make it difficult for anyone else to guess. It is always a good idea to combine numbers with characters as this will dramatically increase the difficulty of guessing the password, but be careful not to simply replace password with pa55word as that is a common mistake. A better option would consist of capitals and lowercase letters and numbers jumbled together. If it is a site that is regularly visited then change your log-on details regularly. Most browsers offer to remember passwords for you, always say no, otherwise accessing your details can be as easy as visiting that website with your web browser as you will be automatically logged on. Once all the shopping has been done be sure to log off correctly so the site is closed and that you, as the user, have been logged out. by card credit debt debt guide

Never send emails which include your credit card details and always safeguard your cards. Banks will never ask any of their customers to send confidential information via email so ignore all requests like this. The website may even have the name of the bank in the URL address but this is no guarantee that the site is legitimate so steer clear of giving your passwords or usernames to anyone. Never shop online at an Internet Caf or public kiosk as key logging software can remember what you typed and allow fraudsters to see what your username and password are. This is a common form of identity theft, where using your actual login details they pretend to be you. Dont click on links to access sites for shopping rather type the url address in yourself. Also dont respond to specials that arrive via email from unknown senders and dont shop with sites or persons that you dont know or trust. No matter how good the deal looks! credit repair

When buying valuable or limited edition items people need to take additional precaution. Be sure that collectible items have a valid certificate of authenticity. Once the item has been paid for and delivered it will be extremely hard to refute this, says Quinton Cronje, Head of Marketing for Clicks. active credit credit guide

Check your monthly bank statements if you are a regular online shopper and check that each transaction correspond with the amounts you spent online, if there are any suspicious amounts report them immediately to your bank. All banks have 24 hour help lines, so dont wait, contact them immediately. credit score

Make sure that your computer at home and work (and roaming laptops) all have up to date anti-virus software and that this is regularly checked and updated. If all of these steps are followed then online shopping should be hassle-free and fun. Enjoy! bad car credit guide loan

QUICK TIP Ask your HR department about the security of their employee files. If stolen, they could be used to perpetrate ID theft against you or your fellow employees. QUICK TOOL Want NOT to become a victim of cyber fraud Read this article on password protection. Step 1: Evaluate the situation

Consider the answers to the following questions in order to gain a complete understanding of your situation: bad credit loan

• Exactly how much do you owe right now credit definition derivative

• Who do you owe it to bad credit mortgage

• When do you have to pay the insider guide to credit

• Have you talked to the creditor or about options business credit card

• What are the consequences of not paying banker complete credit guide

• How soon will this crisis be over credit card application

Step 2: Investigate your options

Our financial experts have outlined your options for most common types of financial crises: credit guide managing

• Deep in debt If you have a steady income but have taken on too much debt, then you should develop a plan to pay off the debt over time. Alternatively, you may want to seek the assistance of a registered debt counselor who will be able to determine if you are over-indebted, and will work out a rescheduling of your debt. credit card offer

• Unable to pay small debts If you are unable to pay small debts such as medical bills and credit cards, contact the businesses directly to see if you can work out an agreement. In the case of a utility bill like you lights water or rates taxes, it may be okay to skip a payment in a crisis. Utility bills do not report to the credit bureaus and they only charge a small late fee. It is not a good idea to borrow money from a micro-lender to pay these bills. Instead, see if you can negotiate to pay in a few weeks or borrow from a family member. merchant credit guide company

• Unable to pay large debts In the event that you cannot pay your bond, car or loan obligations, contact the credit providers immediately. Most credit providers have payment arrangement programs set up to help borrowers who are dealing with a temporary financial crisis. You should make every effort to pay a bond or loan payment on time during a financial crisis. Not paying on time can result in damage to your credit report and possible foreclosure of the vehicle or property. Consider using savings, borrowing from a family member, or reducing your expenses in order to pay your loans. Alternatively, you may want to seek the assistance of a registered debt counselor. bad credit

• Legal debts in collections If you have missed several payments and the creditor has determined that they cannot easily collect their debt they often hand it over to collection attorneys or collection agencies. These collections agencies often purchase the debt and take cession from the original creditor. These types of debts become extremely expensive (about 40% per annum), and it is in you best interests to have Credit Health negotiate a settlement with your creditor or collection attorney/agency. This normally takes the form of a once-off settlement negotiation in which the creditor agrees to receive an amount that is lower than the outstanding balance in settlement of the debt. The balance is written off. collection collection complete

• Job loss In the event of a job loss it will be difficult to make ends meet unless you have an emergency fund set up. If you were retrenched you should see if you qualify for UIF, and should make your claim as soon as possible. You can also contact your creditors to explain that you are temporarily unemployed and to see what sort of payment options they offer. Start looking for a job right away to minimize the amount of time you are unemployed. You should reduce your expenses and, if necessary, borrow a small amount of money to get by until you find a new job. Even if you do have an emergency fund set up, find a job as soon as possible to avoid depleting your saved funds. credit counseling

• Illness When you or a family member falls ill, you may be faced with thousands of rands in medical expenses. Make sure that your medical aid is fully appraised of your situation, and communicate regularly with their accounts department to determine the status of your invoices paid or unpaid covered or not covered. Keep in mind that you are ultimately liable for medical bills even if your insurance should cover the expense. This means that an overdue invoice could be sent to a collections agency/attorney and could damage your credit record. complete credit guide higher

Step 3: Take action

There are several options available to help you manage a financial crisis and fund your necessary expenditure. chase credit card

• Savings Deciding to access savings during a financial emergency may seem like a bad idea, but it is actually a smart move in some situations. Although you will lose the interest on the withdrawn funds, you will not have to pay interest on funds borrowed. complete credit guide hedging

• Home bond If you are a homeowner and you have equity in your home, then this is the cheapest form of financing available. Having equity in your home means that the market value exceeds the outstanding balance on the bond. Most banks will allow you to borrow up to 80% of the market value of your property. So if your bond value is currently R200 000 and your home is worth R500 000, then you could borrow a further R200 000 in the form of a second bond. Remember to be very careful about borrowing money against your home. If you cant afford the repayments and you default this will likely result in the loss of your property to the bank. bad credit home loan

• Friends and family You may need to turn to a friend or family member to support you during your time of need. This may be especially true if you have already been listed on the credit bureaus and you cannot get access to finance from the banks. They say that a friend in need is a friend indeed, and you can perhaps return the favour one day. bad credit personal loan

• Credit cards Although credit cards are a relatively expensive form of financing, it is one of the most readily available, and may be just what you need in the short term. Remember to pay off the money borrowed as quickly as possible after you have overcome your financial crisis. credit score guide

• Overdraft This is a similar option to credit cards, with rates varying around 3 8% above the prime rate of interest. online credit report

• Debt help Credit Health has an entire section of our website dedicated to debt assistance and services. Read articles about taking control of your debts and compare debt reduction solutions. credit guide

Remember that during a financial crisis borrowing money is only the short term solution. Ultimately, the only way to overcome a financial crisis is to raise your income above your expenses. If you take a step back and consider all the options available to you, you can take control of your financial crisis. Dont let a short-term money problem turn into a long-term nightmare. If you have questions about your situation and what services are right for you, contact our customer service team for assistance. bad credit debt consolidation

QUICK TIP Consolidate old legal debts into one consolidation loan its cheaper and you wont have the stress of dealing with debt collectors. Assistance Credit reports: Inaccuracy can be costly

By Credit Health Your credit record is more important than you may realize and it holds increasingly more information about you. The name credit record is inaccurate as it contains information about not only your credit behaviour but also your marital status, number of dependants, address and contact telephone numbers, employment history, and qualifications. credit guide process

This wide range of information is used to make decisions relating to employment, rental contracts, property leasing, school enrolment, credit applications and other risk based decisions. I evaluating how good or bad a credit or financial risk you pose, inaccurate and fraudulent information on your credit records could lead to costly increases in your rates. From what to look out for to correcting inaccuracies, the following tips show how you can keep your credit record accurate and healthy. online credit card application

Tip 1:

Check your credit report regularly. Reviewing your credit reports from Experian and TransUnion every 6-12 months will help you catch inaccuracies and signs of identity theft early. Its also a good idea to check your credit reports at least 3-6 months before a major purchase. This early preparation will ensure you have time to make any corrections before they impact your offers. boston credit first guide

Name: Contact email address: Topic: Subject: Question/details: Provide as much detail as possible If you received an error message, please include the text of that message. credit card debt

About Us

| Affiliates | Privacy Policy | Website Terms back credit foreclosure

The top 11 credit mistakes Putting your administration or sequestration behind you My creditors are chasing me for money what do I do

Debt Help Debt Settlement Plan The 7 Steps to Wealth Sequestration vs Debt Counselling Collections crash course Do-it-yourself debt reduction credit card processing

A guide to bond registration Six simple things you can do to ensure a smooth home purchase 10 questions to ask your attorney Making use of an estate agent Arranging your move Buying a home

ID Theft Security Online Shopping how safe is it really Identity theft contacts beat bureau consumer credit

Identity theft - Questions Answers An ID thief stole my life! Identity theft basics Password protection The dangers of using a cyber caf The 10 rules of financial management Saving with an access bond Money management tips Investor lessons from cricket

• Sequestration vs Debt Counselling

  The difference between Sequestration and Administration or Debt Counselling credit check

• Credit reports: Inaccuracy can be costly

  When it comes to your credit record, inaccuracies can be costly. Find out what the costs are. Get the best advice. We ll help you save money. credit guide idiot pocket

• Which credit report is right for me

Do you know you have the right to get your credit report from the two major bureaus free, once a year You need both to get the full picture. The Credit Health Report gives you both, plus expert advice and guidance. credit card consolidation

• Credit Health Monitor

  Did you know that ID theft is becoming a major threat in SA. Crooks are stealing identities and fraudulently opening accounts with them. Find out how to avoid becoming the victim of ID theft... credit scoring guide

About Us

| Affiliates | Privacy Policy | Website Terms apr credit card

Disclaimer: Your use of any information posted at http://www.credithealth.co.za is subject to the Website Terms. While Credit Health (Pty) Ltd has used its best efforts to verify that the information presented on this web site was correct at the time it was posted, we make no express or implied warranty regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any such information. the complete guide to credit

Fight back on your debt What to do if the Sheriff comes knocking Facing financial crisis Divorce could put you in unexpected debt

HomeLoans Apply for a Bond Consolidation Loan Capital gains tax Prequalified, Pre-Approval, Approval - what does it all mean Supporting documentation navy federal credit union

Investor lessons from cricket

LifeStages Starting Out Buying a car Marriage Family Buying a house Getting ahead Overcoming challenges Planning for retirement Learning Centre About Credit Health Credit Health Manager Debt Settlement Plan - example guerrilla guide credit repair

Debt Settlement Plan - Q A Why settle you debts Starting Out Starting out right building a good credit profile Spending your first pay cheque Advice Applying for finance what to look out for in the fine print Starting Out

You are really fortunate to be reading this at an early stage of your financial career path. We use the term career path for good reason ... if you learn how to manage your money now; and if you make a priority of it as you do your career, look what you can look forward to! free credit score

• A life unburdened by debt! complete guide to credit and

• Early, wealthy retirement! bad credit credit card

• Living the life of your dreams! free credit repair guide

• A wonderful personal life with no debt stress! low apr credit card

Yes, its true! The outlook for someone who makes the right decisions early on is incredible! No matter how modest the beginnings! No matter how small your current salary! And because you are reading this, you are clearly heading in the right direction! Allow us to help you avoid some of the more common traps that most people fall into ... developer guide to the low

1. Develop a healthy respect for debt.

   Know what it really does to people when they spend 75% of their after tax income on debt repayments, as the average South African does! Think of the people you know who are stressed by debt, and how their private lives suffer. Know that no-one else is likely to point this side of the story out to you! Most of the information you get about debt out there in the world is going to be how easy it is, how you can have what you want NOW, how you deserve it. Understand how it harms you to believe this ... how most people will never be wealthy because of debt. earned income credit

2. Live within your means, no matter how small OR large they get

   . Credit providers (banks, credit card companies, stores, etc) are going to start targeting you with offers of easy credit. After a few years, the trickle will turn into a flood! And its so tempting to enjoy that holiday you deserve but dont have the money for ... or to buy that car you cant really afford. If you can resist the temptation, you will free yourself of over-indebtedness - one of the major causes of stress and strain in most peoples lives! card credit debt guide reduce

3. When you get more money, dont spend more money!

   Celebrate first (remember you must also enjoy life!) then keep living in the same way. Use the extra to save and invest in real investments that really make sense (which are not the ones most people believe in!). no credit check loan

4. Aim for a debt level of no more than 30% and then drive it down further!

   One of the very few real exceptions to the golden rule Dont get into debt is when you buy a house, because few people have the cash. (If you can do without a bond, however, that is really first prize and you will not just be on track to wealth, youll be accelerating like you cant believe!). If you do take a bond, which is usually around 30% of your combined monthly after tax income, dont then get into the habit of taking on more debt. In fact you will save yourself a fortune (this is no exaggeration) if you can repay your bond quicker than the bank expects. earned income credit guide

5. Develop a good

   credit record ! Make your monthly repayments on time, in full. Take all the other relevant advice on this site. It puts you in such a good position if and when you do want credit! Because it is also true that credit, wisely used, can be a tool to help you build wealth. free credit report online

Start building wealth right from the start by reading these articles below. annual credit report

Spending your first pay cheque

You start building your dreams right from the first pay cheque! And if you do, youll reach them quicker than you can imagine! Now strictly speaking you shouldnt go out and blow your first months salary, but if youre human, youll want to reward yourself for all that studying, temping, scrimping and saving, not to mention the effort you put in to land this job. Should you reward yourself Yes and no well show you how to win both ways! credit check collection agency

Starting out right building a good credit profile

Its easy to get a flawless credit record which can really work for you as long as you care for it from the word go. the best credit card

QUICK TIP QUICK TOOL Some credit providers prey on the ignorant, taking advantage of your innocence. Applying for finance Dont be a victim. Get the best advice. Debt Settlement Plan - Q A Why settle you debts

Please enter your ID Number and password to login ID Number Password business to business credit

Credit Credits Credit Guide to retrieve your password
Information

• Consolidation Loan

  If you have built up equity in your home and want to consolidate your debts into your home bond, the consolidation loan could be just want you need. Its the cheapest form of financing, and possibly the best solution. credit card debt consolidation

• Credit Health Monitor

  Did you know that ID theft is becoming a major threat in SA. Crooks are stealing identities and fraudulently opening accounts with them. Find out how to avoid becoming the victim of ID theft... travel reward credit card

Debt Settlement Plan - Q A Why settle you debts Debt Help Advice Assistance Sequestration vs Debt Counselling

- by Credit Health If you have come to a point where your debt is out of hand and you just cannot repay it, you may have a choice between sequestration and debt counselling. Lets take a look at the pros and cons of these options. credit bureau

Sequestration Order

You must apply for a sequestration order and it will not necessarily be granted it depends on whether or not you own assets that can be sold to repay the creditors. There are costs associated with sequestration and your creditors will have to pay them out of your insolvent estate. If your assets are too small to cover the costs and bring in at least some money to the creditors it will not be worth it. bad credit car loan

If you get a sequestration order, your assets will be sold and each of your creditors who applies to be repaid will get a percentage which is a certain number of cents per Rand owed usually no less than 10c. The balance will be legally written off and this means you never have to pay it. For you this is probably the major benefit of sequestration potentially getting up to 90% of your debt written off for good. Plus the peace of mind of knowing there will be no more harassment from creditors. consumer credit counseling

Creditors must make a claim against your insolvent estate and if they dont their claims will be written off. Those who do make a claim will have to help pay the costs of sequestration. Only if there is any money left over will they share whats left between them. low interest credit card

The best aspect is that your creditors cannot keep coming back to you for more after they have made their claim and received their share. The only exception is if you suddenly start earning a substantial income, which is considered to be significantly more than your monthly needs in this case some of that excess could be taken to settle your creditors outstanding claims. This is very rare. credit card company

The downside of all this is that you lose your assets

and you have no control over how much they are sold for and you get none of the proceeds either. The only other possibility at this stage is debt counselling or administration. Neither of these options allow any of the debt to be written off. You still owe the money. (We need to qualify this statement, however, because now - in the early stages of the debt counselling process, all indications are that the creditors may well agree to write off some of the capital and/or interest.) Debt counselling or administration simply allows the debts to be restructured and allows for payment to be made over a far longer time period, thereby decreasing the monthly instalment required. Unfortunately, in the long run you always pay more because interest mounts up. free annual credit report

The advantage of this approach is that it is possible that you can avoid losing everything this way, and that you may be able to manage to repay your creditors, with the aim of getting into a better position, bringing down your expenses, perhaps getting a higher paying job, and then paying more than is required. This has the potential of repaying those debts once and for all, rather than paying and paying and paying and not seeing any reduction in the amount still outstanding! bad credit loan mortgage

To summarize:

1. Sequestration allows you to write off some of your debt perhaps even most of it

   - but you lose your assets. You will not be able to get credit again without the approval of the trustee (the person appointed by the court to manage your assets), you are very unlikely to get more credit, and you will have to apply to be rehabilitated later, which isnt that easy. It usually doesnt happen before 4 years have elapsed, which means that for 4 years you cannot qualify for a loan or enter into any credit or financial agreements. Even once you have been rehabilitated you will battle to get credit for another 5 years (so thats 9 years all in all!) as the notice of rehabilitation which gets added to your credit record will discourage creditors from lending to you even though they are now allowed to. Also, you must first persuade your creditors that sequestration is the best option for them too. Because they pay something towards the costs, they can refuse to do this and then you have to go for the second option ... student credit card

2. Debt counselling or administration means you keep your assets

   but someone else will decide how much you repay your creditors every month, and they will only leave you with enough to live on. Stretching out your repayments in this way will help to make them more affordable and help you stay afloat. If you choose this route, try and find a way to reduce your monthly expenses so you can repay the debts faster. Consider moving in with family and renting out your house; selling your new car and buying an older one; selling as many possessions as you can, as long as they will bring in reasonable sums of money; etc. credit card deal

3. The third option ...Do nothing and let your creditors take judgement against you, then take your assets or a portion of your monthly salary. The consequences of this are a black mark on your credit record, and you wont be able to get credit. You will have sleepless nights for years to come, worrying whether the Sheriff will come knocking at any moment, to take away your possessions. You may also have the Sheriff serve a garnishee order on your employer - which means that they are forced to pay a portion of your salary directly to the creditor. This is very embarrassing and can reflect badly on your reputation at work. After all, this is personal information - not the kind of thing you want your employer or colleagues to know about. You may even have your home sold if the creditors cannot get enough by selling your other assets or garnishing your salary. Remember that most of your possessions lose value the moment you buy them even your car. So your house your one real asset is at risk. free credit check

At Credit Health, our mission is to help empower you when it comes to credit, so that you make the right decisions for you. Who else is telling you the straight facts when it comes to credit Not the credit providers they want you to take as much credit as possible and then repay it down to the last cent. Not their lawyers they make money out of getting as much money as they can out of you! Everyone wants something from you and so they dont tell you the full story. bad credit auto loan

On the other hand, Credit Health and Logan Attorneys can help you make the right decision in complete confidence. We act in your best interests and we treat your information with the greatest respect and privacy. E-mail Logan Attorneys for further information about sequestration on

info@loganattorneys.co.za, or e-mail info@credithealth.co.za for more information on debt counselling. secured credit card

monebaggasse