Do it yourself debt settlement
So is do it yourself debt settlement really even possible?
You've no doubt seen a fair number of ads by now touting "credit card debt settlement" services. These firms promise to contact your creditors and negotiate down your interest due, fines, fees, and even your original principal balance (the amount of all your charges, not including the interest and fines).
Sounds great, doesn't it? Of course, there is a slight catch that you might have thought of already, namely that these companies charge a fee themselves, and often a quite substantial fee, in order to do the negotiating for you.
Now when you're already broke or close to it (hey, let's be honest here), the last thing you need is another bill for thousands of dollars in addition to the bills you already have racked up.
Then there is the issue of the honesty and trustworthiness of these firms. There are certainly plenty of horror stories out there about people getting scammed by some of these places. Some of them might well be ethical, but unless you want to get scammed too, you'd be wise to check them out thoroughly before committing to any company or signing anything at all.
A better solution: do it yourself negotiation
If you ask me, the best solution is actually to do the negotiating yourself. I know, the thought of it is intimidating. After all, debt collectors can be downright awful. I'll say it, I think they are the scum of the earth. I've gotten harassed by them time and time again, and I don't even owe anything and haven't for years! (They keep calling for the wrong person with my name.)
But it doesn't really have to be that scary if you know exactly how to approach your creditors. You actually are likely to have a high degree of leverage you don't even know about, and you certainly have a whole bunch of legal rights you know little or nothing of. But if you educate yourself the right way, you really can take these guys on and win. I've seen it with my own eyes, and I know it can happen.
Doing the research can take forever though, and it can be a real headache. So it just makes sense to order a program that teaches you how to do it. It costs far less than hiring a company to negotiate for you, yet it can give you the confidence and knowledge you need to take on your creditors and actually win.
The best do it yourself debt settlement preparation I have come across is offered by a company called Zipdebt. Now since we're being totally honest, this company is one of my advertisers. But I do actually believe that the guy behind this small company, Charles Phelan, is a stand-up guy who not only knows his stuff but also really does have a passion for helping people fight back against the large financial institutions.
And he knows all the ways to hit back against these places because he used to work for them. The packages he offers are thorough, and most even include a consultation with him. Best of all, they are incredibly reasonably priced for all that you get. And even better yet, if you want to check out what Zipdebt has to offer, Charles will give visitors to this site a discount on all his products.
So... drum roll please... here's the deal:
Save $25 off your Zipdebt order - just enter code AFF-069 on the payment page - VISIT ZIPDEBT to find out more about our advertiser, Zipdebt, and and to learn about the programs they offer.
Like I said, his prices are already about as low as you'll find for anything comparable (and I actually haven't been able to find anything close to comparable out there). So $25 off makes Zipdebt an even better deal.
Okay, all plugging aside, you really can do this yourself, whether it is with assistance or just by doing the research and prepping yourself. Just make sure that you DO prep yourself, or you can get eaten alive by these guys. After all, they do this for a living, and you don't.
So do your homework, psyche yourself up, and know that do it yourself debt settlement is a real tactic that really can work. And it can save you a bunch of money while letting you get your life back on track.