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Table of Contents for The Unofficial Guide to
Beating Debt
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE: EASY MONEY
Chapter One: Credit Basics
Credit 101
Types of credit
Getting credit
Your credit worthiness
Credit issues for women
Taking responsibility for
other people's credit
Chapter Two: Money, Money Everywhere
Common types of loans
Sources of money
Credit cards: plastic explosives!
How many cards are enough?
Other sources of money
Chapter Three: Protecting Yourself and Your Credit
Stay current with your debts
Set up a system
Setting your priorities
Help from the Consumer Credit Protection Act
Leveling
the playing field with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act
Know your rights under
the Fair Credit Billing Act
How to resolve billing errors and disputes
What
your creditors must do
Still not satisfied? Don't give up
How to stop payment
on your credit card
How to enforce your rights
Protecting yourself against
fraud
Chapter Four: Credit, Debt and the Internet
Instant money, instant debt
Electronic fund
transfers
The Electronic Fund Transfer Act
The Internet
The good...
The
bad...
...and the ugly
PART TWO: YOUR CREDIT HISTORY
Chapter Five: Your Credit Report
Importance of a good credit history
Credit reporting
agencies
The "big three" credit agencies
Your rights to review your report
Standard credit report elements
Understanding your report
Chapter Six: Repairing Your Credit Report
Reviewing your credit report
Correcting mistakes
How to use the "consumer statement"
Creating your own report
Your legal
rights
Divorce and your credit report
Credit report monitoring services
PART THREE: IN OVER YOUR HEAD
Chapter Seven: The Credit Crunch
Frequent causes of money problems
That sinking
feeling
Common danger signals
How much do you owe?
What are realistic limits
on your credit?
Who gets into debt?
Chapter Eight: Credit Problem Psychology
Identifying the causes of credit problems
Online
addiction
How to deal with your problems
Making changes
Discussing your
problems
Restoring your self-esteem
Dealing with anxiety
Maintaining a
healthy sense of humor
PART FOUR: TIME FOR ACTION
Chapter Nine: Getting Your Act Together
Changing your attitudes about credit
Eliminate your
access to credit
Budgets vs. spending plans
Identify monthly expenses
Prepare your monthly budget
Your spending plan
Tips for reducing expenses
Try using cash
Tips for increasing your income
Don't give up
Chapter Ten: Dealing With Creditors
Determining your current debt situation
How to
negotiate with creditors
Your creditors and their options
The Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act
What bill collectors can't do
Tips for dealing with bill collectors
Your rights and how to protect them
The IRS
Try using cash
Tips for increasing your income
Don't give up
PART FIVE: HELP IS ON THE WAY
Chapter Eleven: Where to Go for Assistance
Need help?
Nonprofit services
National Foundation
For Consumer Credit
Consumer Credit Counseling Services
Debt Counselors of America
Genus Credit Management
Debtors Anonymous for compulsive spenders
Money 2000
Other free (or inexpensive) advice
For-profit counseling services
What to avoid
Chapter Twelve: Climbing Back Up
Getting Started
Payment strategies
Restructuring
Your debt consolidation options
Credit card surfing
Home equity loans
Tapping your retirement plan
Life insurance
Turning to family or friends
What
to avoid
Stay on course
PART SIX: BANKRUPTCY
Chapter Thirteen: Bankruptcy--Your Last Resort
Bankruptcy 101
What is bankruptcy?
Types of bankruptcy
Causes of bankruptcy
What triggers bankruptcy?
Your choices
Does bankruptcy
make sense?
Chapter Fourteen: Bankruptcy--Chapter and Verse
How to Decide Which Way to Go
"Liquidation Bankruptcy"
Chapter 7
"Wage Earner Bankruptcy" Chapter 13
Keep your home--maybe
Is there
life after bankruptcy?
PART SEVEN: A NEW START
Chapter Fifteen: Reestablishing Your Credit
Up from the ashes
What to avoid
Pay off your debts
Credit rating builders
Getting new plastic
Secured credit cards
Chapter Sixteen: Avoiding Future Problems
Develop new financial goals
Limit your use of credit
Wise use of credit
Cool cash
Establish sound savings habits
The wonders of
prepayment
Streamline your finances
Building on your success
Chapter Seventeen: One More Step
What have you learned?
Waking up from the American
Dream
Rich in things--poor in spirit
Same money-saving ideas, new perspective
Escape from Affluenza
Where do you go from here?
A new American Dream
It's
only money
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Resource Guide
Appendix C: Recommended Reading List
Appendix D: Important Documents
Index
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