I’m sure everyone has heard some kind of advertising to receive a free credit report. But how do they justify that the report is free when you have to sign up for a monthly credit monitoring service for $15-$20 per month in order to receive that credit report? Granted, this is a free trial membership, but most of us give our credit card information and forget to cancel the free membership before we start to get charged.

Legislation was passed that provides consumers with one free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus per year at no cost. The catch comes in where you obtain these copies.

Www.annualcreditreport.com is the website created by the three major credit reporting agencies to allow consumers to obtain their free annual copies. You can also obtain copies by writing in or calling (877-322-8228.) BUT the law does not allow you to obtain free credit scores. If you want your credit score you’ll have to pay $6-$8 per score. This is still less expensive than paying for someone to monitor your credit.

Bottom Line: Don’t pay someone for something you can obtain for free. Also, you can monitor your own credit report for identity theft by staggering your requests to one copy every four months. And as far as credit scores are concerned… if you look at a copy of your credit report, you’re going to have a pretty good idea of what your credit score is going to be. Don’t be so concerned with your score until you’re getting ready for a major purchase like a house or car.

Payday loans, paycheck advances, or whatever you choose to call them are a growing industry, doubling in size over the past six years to nearly $28 billion in loan volume. Family Credit Counseling Service receives many calls daily from people struggling to break the cycle of Payday lending. But are they really the best option for consumers in need of a little help until the next pay day? Let’s investigate.

While legislators try to put caps on interest rates and the maximum number of payday loans one person can have, most loan providers have found the loopholes - mostly through providing online loans. The average loan carries interest rates between 300-900% annualized. Only 1% of loans written are to consumers who can temporarily use the funds, pay the loan off and walk away; the rest fall into a deeper cycle of debt.

"OK, but what is a person to do that has bad credit and an emergency need," you say? Great question! Many reputable financial institutions are beginning to provide payday alternative loans with much more reasonable interest rates and officials are looking at stricter legislation for these loans as they tend to prey on the low and lower-middle class.

Bottom Line: If you find yourself in a financial crisis, look around for alternatives before being lured by the bright neon lights of the corner 24 hour payday advance store. Look for a reputable lender that might offer an alternative product or talk to a credit counselor to discuss what your options might be.

The Federal Financial Regulatory Agencies statement released recently urges mortgage lenders to “identify borrowers at risk of default and pursue appropriate loss mitigation strategies designed to preserve home ownership.” Basically– find out who’s struggling and help them!

President Bush also announced his recommendations for the mortgage crisis recently (view video for comments or read Bloomberg article.) The President has proposed assisting consumers caught in high-risk mortgages to refinance into traditional mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration.

Bottom Line: There is no free money coming your way if you’re struggling with your mortgage; however lawmakers are beginning to take notice of the national crisis developing. A HUD-approved counseling agency can work with you and your lender to create a workout plan to get you back on track (contact Family Credit Counseling Service if you need help finding a HUD-approved counselor.) Rather than burying your head in sinking sand hoping your mortgage crisis will fix itself, stay informed of national news updates and take advantage of any assistance that becomes available.

As a credit counselor with Family Credit Counseling Service, I talk to people often who are overwhelmed with credit card debt. Many times during a counseling session I will discover credit card debt created by a medical crisis that occurred due to lack of insurance or being underinsured.

We all know a visit to the doctor can be expensive, even with insurance. If you require emergency assistance or need to be admitted to a hospital, medical bills can reach into the thousands and tens of thousands. When the medical crisis has passed, many find themselves in the middle of a financial crisis.

Medical collectors will begin calling shortly. Many people that don’t know how to deal with collectors panic and take the advice of the collector, “Which credit card would you like to use to pay your balance?” Without thinking, unsuspecting patients just paid a medical bill that usually carries little or no interest charge using a credit card with high interest rates.

Many medical providers are non-profit organizations. To have the status of “non-profit” requires these medical providers give a certain amount of care at no cost. When you are faced with a high medical bill, your first question should be, “What type of financial hardship programs can I qualify for?” If this doesn’t work, ask to set up a payment arrangement directly with the medical provider.

Bottom Line: Don’t compound your financial situation by turning a large medical bill into a credit card payment that could take many years to pay off after you factor in all of the interest that will be paid. There’s almost always a better way!

If you have more questions about your financial situation, Family Credit Counseling Service has counselors who can help today!