Tag Archives: holidays

Rebuilding Your Life After Bankruptcy; Don't Cave To Holiday Pressures! (Page 1 of 3)

There’s something about shopping during the holidays as I watch consumers being attacked by exuberant cashiers pushing their store’s credit card that gets me concerned for those trying to build a solid life after bankruptcy.

These clerks seem to be unaware of how careful individuals have been all year to build their life after bankruptcy; by watching what they spend, and how easy it is to go over budget. Offering a ¡°credit rebuilder¡± a new card is like offering a recovering chocoholic a gooey double-fudge brownie supreme.

The holidays bring about mixed feelings among my clients: joy, anxiety, fear, sadness¡­.not any of it relating to the reason for the season.

Rebuilding your credit and creating the life after bankruptcy that you desire is a difficult tightrope balance between moving forward with your life and not ruining the upward progress of your credit score.

Holidays mean gift-giving gatherings with sometimes hundreds of people, if you total them all up. Pressure rises when the office party committee asks us to pitch in for gifts for management.

Your head starts spinning when you think about how your extended family has grown and how they will all exchange presents Christmas Eve at your house this year. You finally feel the wind knocked out of your sails when the cashier tells you that you can save up to 25% on your purchase if you apply for their wonderful store credit card.

Just remember and keep this thought at the front of your mind…creating the desirable life after bankruptcy is the objective, not the savings of 25% that is surely to be out of our original budget anyway.

As someone who has recently discharged a bankruptcy and is trying to rebuild life after bankruptcy as well as create a high credit rating, should you respond to such a sweet, seductive offer? (Twenty-five percent off purchases, after all, would give you the extra money to buy Aunt Millie that deluxe food steamer!)

But here’s what I teach as a financial counselor from Credit Is Key: though it is much easier said than done, do NOT apply for any credit cards during the holiday crunch.

Every financial move should be the result of planning and preparation for your life after bankruptcy – not suddenly caving in to pacify the salesclerk – or Aunt Millie. If you say ¡°yes,¡± then the store will make an inquiry on your credit.

Did you know that even a couple inquiries will actually hurt your credit?

Rebuilding your life after bankruptcy requires inner strength. A strength you have been nurturing and growing since your discharge. A strength that is given a boost by having a specific goal in mind and a planned strategy in place; building a wonderful credit rating to enjoy your life after bankruptcy. Help yourself! Instead of falling into the ¡°get-a-credit- card-and-reduce-your-spending¡± trap, try these ideas for holiday savings — without inquiries or damaging rejections. Always remember the objective…improve your life after bankruptcy by improving your credit rating!

Taking Out Loans For Travel

If you want to go on holiday but cannot afford the large payment in one go, then you might want to think about taking out a loan for travel purposes. Many people never get to travel to the places they want because of a lack of current cash flow. However, more and more companies are offering loans specifically for travel and holidays. If you want to know more about these holiday loans, then here are some tips about taking out a loan for travel purposes.

What are the costs?

Travel loans are a form of personal unsecured loan, although you can also get secured travel loans in some circumstances. You can usually borrow between £1,000 and £25,000, depending on your circumstances and how much you need to borrow. The length of repayment is shorter than traditional unsecured loans, with typical terms being between 1 and 4 years. You pay back the loan monthly as you would any other loan. Interest rates are fairly competitive, and range between 7 and 10%.

Why use a travel loan?

There are many reasons why you might want to use a travel loan, even if you could afford the holiday with your savings. Many holidays require a large fee up-front in order to secure the booking, and this can be a strain on anyone’s finances. Getting a travel loan will allow you to pay for all the associated costs of the holiday whilst still having enough money to live right now. A travel loan can allow you to travel to the places you have always dreamed of going, but thought you would never go to because you couldn’t save enough money at once.

Travel benefits

Another advantage of some travel loans is that they come with added travel benefits. Some loans include items such as free travel insurance or possible discounts on some holidays, depending on which lender you use. If these offers can help reduce the cost of your holiday, then it might be worth checking out the loan.

Who provides travel loans?

Travel loans can be got through your normal bank, or through travel agents who have teamed up with lenders to offer travel loans. There are a variety of loans available, and it pays to shop around to find the one with the best features and rates to suit your needs.

Why not a normal loan?

Getting a travel loan is slightly different to getting a regular unsecured loan, but is it better? Well, that depends on your circumstances and how much you need to borrow. Travel loans are dedicated to travel and holidays, and will help you get a better deal on your holiday. However, they have short loan terms, so if you want a longer term then you might want to go for a normal unsecured loan. In general, if you can afford to pay back the travel loan in the shorter term, then it will save you money and help you get the holiday you always wanted.