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Debt Consolidation and Personal Finances: Learn the Truth!

An inability to manage credit, growing debt and bankruptcy are all major problems today. On an average day, over 8,000 people file bankruptcy in the United States alone. The Internet is rife with companies that promise help and salvation; to the uninitiated, their words and assurances prey upon those wanting a painless solution.

The January post-holiday credit card bills are often the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back, where families now have to face the problem of how to pay for the holiday gifts and celebrations without sliding further into debt.

Avoiding these problems, and recovering from overwhelming debt, are what Real Life Debt.com is all about: it's a resource site that's dedicated to helping you learn about your options with credit card debt, debit cards, debt management, debt counseling, privacy, deciding about bankruptcy (and the different types of bankruptcy), and more.

Founder Dave Taylor explains "As a private, independent initiative, we're sure that you'll find Real Life Debt.com to be an excellent resource for understanding and managing your own financial issues. To ensure accuracy, the materials on this site are all from the United States government: one goal of Real-Life-Debt.com is to help people find the excellent material produced by the Federal Trade Commission, Federal Reserve, Consumer Information Center, and similar organizations."

In addition, Real Life Debt also features a weblog (a "blog") with postings from different individuals who share their own challenges managing their personal finances, including bankruptcy, credit card penalties, and much more.

Real Life Debt is an unbiased source of credit card, debt management, privacy and bankruptcy information, without commercial sponsors or a sales pitch. To ensure accuracy, much of the material is from U.S. government sites.

Dave Taylor has been involved with the Internet since 1980. He's written sixteen technical and business books including the best-selling "Creating Cool Web Sites", and his most recent projects are startup 101 info and Ask Dave Taylor.

In The News:


Gulf Times

Ivory Coast could get debt relief mid-2009 - World Bank
Reuters South Africa, South Africa - 15 hours ago
This is Ivory Coast's third attempt at HIPC debt relief. According to Economy and Finance Minister Charles Diby Koffi, external debt repayments amount to ...
W. Bank says Ivorian aid tied to cleaning up cocoa Reuters South Africa
all 9 news articles

BBC News

Progress seen in debt relief for poor countries
Pakistan Dawn, Pakistan - Sep 4, 2008
By Masood Haider UNITED NATIONS, Sept 4: A new UN report finds significant progress in providing debt relief to the world’s poorest countries. ...
Poverty-reduction aid lags, study finds Los Angeles Times
DEVELOPMENT: UN Warns of Faltering Goals on Aid, Trade IPS
Donors’ Aid to Poor Nations Declines, UN Reports New York Times
UN News Centre - Reuters South Africaall 184 news articles

Hurricane Relief Efforts Create Red Cross Debt, Nonprofit Says
Washington Post, United States - Sep 5, 2008
By Philip Rucker The American Red Cross said this morning it is going deep into debt to fund a $70 million Hurricane Gustav relief effort, ...

Handloom weavers may get debt relief
Business Standard, India - Sep 2, 2008
After the debt waiver scheme for farmers, the Union government is hoping to extend a similar scheme for handloom weavers. The Union textiles ministry, ...

Bankruptcy lawyers can advise clients on debt-court
Reuters - Sep 5, 2008
The amendment in dispute prohibits debt-relief agencies from giving clients advice about taking on more debt before filing for creditor protection. ...
8th Circuit: Bankruptcy Provision Violates Lawyer Free Speech Rights ABA Journal
all 5 news articles

Gene F. Turnwald: Debt relief might be less than it promises
Lansing State Journal, MI - Sep 2, 2008
I ask you to please keep that in mind when dealing with debt relief companies that guarantee to lower your credit card or loan payments and interest rates. ...

Justices fault part of 2005 debt law
Arkansas Democrat Gazette, AR - 17 hours ago
“The threat of being labeled as a debt-relief agency has curbed or chilled big firms from doing pro bono work for people” who need bankruptcy, Henry Kaim, ...

Group advocates tax increases and non-user fees for sewer debt relief
The Birmingham News - al.com, AL - Aug 29, 2008
At a morning press conference, the group put forward "the people's plan," an 11-point proposal for dealing with the debt. The activists, including a ...

Canada Bonds Gain as Economic Slowdown Drives Investors to Debt
Bloomberg - 11 hours ago
``Technically no recession, but no relief from fairly sluggish growth either,'' said Craig Wright, chief economist at Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto, ...

Manufacturer digs in for long haul on weaker sales
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI - 3 hours ago
... fail to stabilize, we are concerned that the company could violate a (debt) covenant in fiscal 2009 and would need to obtain relief from lenders. ...
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