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S
ince you are currently enrolled in adebt settlement program, buying a carmay seem dicult. However, i youronly means o transportation is unreliable andcreating costly repair bills, you may make thedecision to purchase a dierent vehicle to saveyou time and money. Here are some tips thatcould help you purchase a reliable car at anaordable price.
Make a list o expenses.
Establishing abudget will help you determine how much o acar payment you can aord.
Know your credit score.
It is good toknow exactly what your credit score is beoreyou apply or a car loan. You have the rightto receive a ree copy o your credit report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com. For more inormation onhow to purchase your creditscore, visit www.myco.com. According to Je Ostro,host o the inormative website, www.carbuyingtips.com,“Lenders have greatly tightenedrequirements ater the nancialcrisis to ensure a buyer’s ability to pay back the loan. It’s moreimportant than ever to make sureyour credit report is as clean as itcan be.”
Choose a vehicle.
Beoreyou apply or a loan, have someidea o the type o car that you would like topurchase. Visit sites such as www.Autoweb.com, www.Cars.com, and www.CarsDirect.com tosearch or vehicles in your area and to researchmakes and models. You may consider obtaining avehicle history report at www.carax.com or any car in which you express an interest. Unlimitedreports or 30 days cost $39.99.Since you are enrolled in a debt settlementprogram, select a reasonable-priced, modestvehicle. Remember, you are buying a car orreliable transportation and not as a statussymbol. In most cases, you want to select a late-model used car opposed to a new car. You cannd many quality pre-owned vehicles or lessmoney. Besides, the previous buyer will take thehit on the rst year depreciated value o the car while you can take advantage o it.
Choose a nancing option.
Tere may be lenders who will extend credit to you despiteyour nancial trouble. With the rise o theinternet, you no longer have to rely solely onthe dealer or nancing. CarBuyingips.comstrongly recommends the use o online lenderssuch as www.autocreditnders.com. Tis site willput you in contact with lenders who specialize inhigh risk loans. You may also try applying or acar loan through your credit union.
Be aware o dealer scams.
Salesmenrealize that individuals with fawed credit reportsand tight budgets ocus heavily on the amount o the monthly payment. Tereore, they may oeryou a car loan in which payments extend or 72months. Although the payment amount may t your budget, you will most likely be payingtoo much or the vehicle. I you decide to sellor trade in the car beore you have made all o the payments, you will be “upsidedown in the car,” a phrase used by dealers to mean that you owe morethan the car is worth.ry to obtain a car loan or nolonger than 48 months. I thegures are not workable with thecar that you choose, select a lessexpensive vehicle. Otentimes,some dealers prey on youremotions and make you eel asthough you should be grateul thatthey approved you or any car.Tey might also tell you that youcould not get nanced throughany other dealer or lendinginstitution. I the dealership will not budge on the payment or loan terms,consider taking your business elsewhere.
Read all paperwork.
Beore signing any paperwork, read everything careully. Otentimes,dealers add a variety o miscellaneous chargessuch as VIN# window etching, dealer prep, and a warranty that you never requested. In most cases,these services are not necessary and can be donecheaper on your own.“Te buyers need to be reminded that they are in dire straits, they can barely aord the car,so they should be going there to buy a car only,nothing else,” said Ostro.Visit Ostro’s site at www.carbuyingtips.comto read in detail about the top ten car dealerscams. Arming yoursel with knowledge will helpprevent you rom alling victim to car salesmantrickery.
 Volume 5 #4
Credit and Car BuyingInspiring Thoughts • Spare ChangeSpring Clean Your WalletSave Money on Your Cell Phone Bill
1-800-655-6303
 Welcome to the Freedom Debt Relie monthly newsletter! As part o ourongoing goal to enhance our services, we will be sending you a monthly newsletter lled with interesting articles and helpul nancial tips andadvice. We hope you enjoy this issue, and that you nd the enclosedinormation helpul as you continue on the road to nancial reedom.
Credit andCar Buying 
Helpful Car buyingWeb Sites
Ø
 
Kelley Blue Book 
(www.kbb.com):Tis site provides car buyers and sellers with new and used vehicle inormation.Visit this site to see how much your caris worth i you are selling it.
Ø
Consumer Reports
(www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/index.htm): Te auto section o this site givesdetails and unbiased reviews o new and used vehicles in categories such assaety and value.
Ø
Bankrate.com
(www.bankrate.com/calculators/index-o-auto-calculators.aspx): Bankrate oers a long list o helpul online calculators that may assist you with car buying. Tere arecalculators such as the “Car Early Pay O Calculator” and “Negative Equity  Auto Loan Calculator”.
 
New legislation may reorm the credit card industry.
Te House o Representativesrecently passed legislation to rein in many common lending practices in the credit cardindustry that have been deemed unair anddeceptive. Te Credit Cardholders’ Bill o Rights Act o 2009 was passed by an overwhelmingmargin. Te Credit Cardholders’ Bill o Rights Act would level the playing eld betweenborrower and lender by putting an end to someo the most arbitrary, abusive, and unair creditcard lending practices that trap consumers-particularly disadvantaged and minority borrowers-in an unending cycle o costly debt.Te bill would:• End arbitrary and unair interest rateincreases on existing balances;• Prevent credit card companies romgaming consumer payments;• Prohibit unair and hidden interest ratecharges on balances repaid during thegrace period, and• End unair late ees or on-time payments.
ime is money.
MoreBusiness.com recently release the ime isMoney Calculator (www.morebusiness.com/time-is-money-calculator), aree tool that allows anyone to entertheir current salary and the price o aproduct they want to buy to calculatehow many work hours it would takethem to purchase it. Te calculatoractors in your tax bracket dependingon your salary, so that you will geta more accurate calculation. Tisresource is designed to help peopleput their purchases in perspective sothey can budget their time and money better.For example, i you make an annual salary o $30,000 and you want to buy a pair o designershoes that cost $500, it would take you morethan 44 hours o work -- more than a ull work  week -- to purchase those shoes. Is it worth it?
FC ofers credit card tools.
 
Carryinga credit card balance can be expensive orconsumers, especially or those who makeonly minimum monthly payments. o obtainappropriate inormation, consumers should callthe telephone number or pay-o inormationthat will be on their credit card billingstatement. Large banks and the Federal ReserveBoard (FRB) will be providing consumers with telephone numbers to call or pay-o inormation or bank-issued cards. Banks issue nearly all credit cards,including co-branded cards that have the nameo an airline or a retailer. Te FC is providinga telephone number (1-888-600-4804) orconsumers with non-bank cards to call or theirestimated pay-o inormation. Inormationis available in both English and Spanish. Forconsumers who preer to use the Internet, theCommission also has posted on its Web site acalculator that provides the same inormation.o access the FC’s on-line calculator,consumers should click on http://www.tc.gov/creditcardcalculator.
New legislation may reorm thecredit card industry.
Te ACA InternationalEducation Foundation introduced a brandnew, completely ree consumer education Website called www.AskDoctorDebt.com. Te site was created to serve the Foundation’sstated mission o improving nancialliteracy through consumer outreach.One o the reasons or the campaign’ssuccess is that “Ask Doctor Debt” carriesan overwhelmingly positive, riendly and timely message aimed at helpingconsumers dealing with credit and debtissues. Serving as a sort o online “Dear Abby,” “Ask Doctor Debt” eatures adynamic and searchable FAQ Databasethat allows users to quickly nd answersto the most commonly-asked questionsrelated to credit and debt. Te Web sitealso allows consumers to submit their ownindividual questions to an “Ask DoctorDebt,” expert. “Ask Doctor Debt” alsoeatures budget calculators, a ree personalnancial management Web course andother consumer resources.
Financial literacy program or kidscombines education and entertainment.
 
Te CENSABLES web site, (www.centsables.com), enables kids to explore the conceptso money, how value is determined, basiceconomics and investing, without being tootechnical to understand. Using activity pagesand downloadable orms, children can masterbanking skills such as check-writing andbudgeting, preparing deposit slips and earningmoney. Te site eatures action-comics based onthe animated television series, an inormativeparent link, plus exercises and games thatreinorce learning and keepkids
News, nancial tips, and otherinormation regarding personalnancial reedom
 
Spare Change
I you don’t like something change it;i you can’t change it, change the way youthink about it. ~Mary Engelbreit 
C
hanges in our lives are usually inevitable. Whether it is springchanging to summer or trying tochange a bad habit, most o us will experiencesome orm o change at one point. As we undergo a major change, we may havemixed eelings. For example, i you recently enrolled in a debt negotiation program, youmay eel optimistic that you took the rst stepto achieve nancial reedom. Yet, the act thatyou must live on a budget and have limitedaccess to credit may scare you.Living without available credit may be quitean adjustment, especially in a world wherecredit cards are accepted everywhere rom localpizza shops to urniture stores. Many retailersmay also pressure you to apply or credit cards when you checkout and you may have todecline more than once.Some consumers may also use credit cardsto pay or unexpected emergencies or to buy necessities beore their next paycheck arrives. Without this security, new debt negotiationcustomers may eel like they will never be ableto survive without credit. Although overcoming your dependency oncredit cards may be dicult, try to ocus on thepositive aspects o your nancial decision. Look to the uture and imagine how relieved you willeel once you are ree rom the bounds o debt. As a result o hard work and perseverance, youmay one day not receive any more calls romcollectors or have to keep track o multiplecredit card bills.Troughout your debt negotiation program, we will provide you with a variety o money-management tools such as this newsletter.Our goal is to equip you with knowledgethat will help you remain debt-ree. Duringthese changing times, remember that yournegotiation company is here or you. Feel reeto give us a call i you have ever have a questionabout your program. We realize that the many changes that you are experiencing can bestressul and we want to help you accomplishyour nancial goals.
 Inspiring Thoughts
 
Client Reminders
Updated Client Web site:
FreedomDebt Relie has updated and improved itsclient site. Visit www.drclient.com or new inormation and a user-riendly layout. Foryour convenience, you can now submitcertain customer service requests online 24hours day without having to pick up thephone. Creating a username and passwordis simple. Just ollow the instructions on the webpage to get setup today! 
Education Materials:
Did youknow that all FDR clients also have accessto our FREE educational and nancialliteracy tools? You can nd them at www.reedomdebtrelie.com/clients.php. o login,enter FDR or the username and FDR orthe password.
Contact Ino:
Have you movedrecently or changed your phone number?Please contact customer service to ensure wehave all o your updated inormation.
ax Debt?
 
I you owe money to theIRS and would like inormation on how to reduce your tax debts, please contactour sister company, Freedom ax Relie at1-800-455-6AX. Our tax attorneys andtax specialists are eager to immediately starthelping you resolve your tax troubles. Inaddition, existing FDR clients are eligible ora $100 reerral bonus i they reer someoneto Freedom ax Relie.***
Customer Service Phone No:1-800-655-6303FAX No: 650-393-6800Hours o Operation:
Mon-Turs:
6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.PST
Fri:
6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PST
Sat:
7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PST
 
E-mail:support@reedomdebtrelie.com
 W 
arm weather allows you and youramily to complete certain choresand participate in seasonal activities.Troughout your neighborhood, you may seepeople planting gardens, washing cars, andchildren playing in backyards. Below are somemoney-saving tips that may help cool your walletas the temperature heats up.
Save money on your air conditioner.
Youmay want to prepare your air conditioning unitor hot and humid days. For example, keep allobjects away rom the air conditioning unit. Makeit a habit to routinely remove grass and leavesrom vents. Tese items will block airfow. For moretips, visit the Departmento Energy’s web site at www.energy.gov.
Consider inexpensive ways to have amily un.
Some amilies planvacations during the springand summer seasons andthese excursions can becostly. Just because anelaborate vacation is notin your budget does not mean that you can’t haveun. Discover the many activities that you canenjoy in your local community. Most librariesoer summer reading programs or children andadults. You can also rent movies at the library or ree. Call your local zoos, museums, andamusement parks to see i they oer discountedrates on certain days or during specic times o the day.
Spring clean your vehicle.
Extremetemperatures may be dicult or your car tohandle. Routine maintenance on your vehicle may help its perormance and improve gas mileage.For example, have an oil changeperormed regularly and keepyour tires properly infated. Visit the Car Council’s educational website at www.carcare.org or more auto maintenancetips. Also, keep in mind that gas prices tendto skyrocket during the warmer months. Websites such as www.gaspricewatch.com and www.gasbuddy.com track gas prices in your area andare updated by local volunteers. You can also saveon gasoline by carpooling. Visit www.erideshare.com to search or local commuters that are goingthe same way you are or you may post your ownlisting.
Sell items that you no longer use.
Duringthe spring season, some people shed all o theirunwanted and unused items. Ebay (www.ebay.com) is the largest online auction site and a goodsource to sell items that you no longer use. Visittheir web site or more details on how to beginselling. You can also try your local Craigslist site(www.craigslist.org) to place an online classiedad or ree to people in your area. Also considerplacing ads in your local newspaper, host a garagesale, or check with the recreation departmentin your local community to see i there are any neighborhood fea market days. You may be ableto reserve a table.
Save money on home improvements.
Many people perorm home improvements in the springand summer months. Although you may have tohire a proessional or some complicated projects,you may be able to tackle some tasks yoursel. A  wealth o inormational resources exist to teachyou how to do homeimprovement jobs suchas cleaning your gutters,painting, and installing aceiling an. Visit your localbookstore or library to nda comprehensive guideon do-it-yoursel homeimprovements.Te Internet andtelevision are also greatsources. DIY Network brings you such cableshows as “DIY to theRescue” and “DIY Be Your Own Contractor.” You can also visit their inormation-packed website located at www.diynet.com. Tis site eaturesa wide array o do-it-yoursel projects, withtopics that range rom home improvements todecorating.Home Depot also oers ree Do-It-Hersel  Workshops, Weekly Clinics, and Kids Workshops.Visit www.homedepotclinics.com toregister at a Home Depot near you.
Absurdly Cool Freebie Finder (www.absurdlycool.com) is a site that automatically lists freebies on
the web, while fltering out the scams. Common
freebies include offers for household products,fast food restaurants, and educational materials.
 Freebie Finder
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