Prepare a list of questions that will help you identify if they are trust worthy and reputable, how can you be sure you can trust the actual comparison web site itself.

Who is doing the homework on the debt management companies being compared and how often is the information updated?

Lewis Alexander was approached by a service claiming to be a debt management company comparison website for people confused by debt, they offered us the opportunity to pay them to be listed on their site, we asked them why we should pay to be compared for the consumers best deal, they could not answer our question so we did not advertise with them.

The lesson we can learn from the likes of Direct Line Insurance is that they cannot be found on comparison websites. This is a very large company owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, why would they not be on comparison websites if they were so beneficial to them or their customers?

The only way we could see a debt management comparison website working was if it listed every debt management plan available in the country to a consumer at the time of the consumer search, without a total comparison of all debt plans available, how would the consumer know which company offered the best deal?

• They would only be aware of the best deal amongst the companies advertising on the debt comparison site. This is NOT a total comparison!

You should be very careful when taking information and advice on something as important as your personal finances.  A company that specialises in comparing companies is doing just that, you should take financial advice off of a company who specialises in giving financial advice and clearing consumer debt, not just one that tries to compare companies that actually do just that.

If you are confused by debt problems and solutions available to clear debts, you can call our free debt helpline 24 hours a day in absolute confidence using 0800  018 6868.

• Our trained advisors are waiting for your call!

• Did you know it was possible to improve your credit score without actually having much funds available in your personal bank account?
• It is even possible to obtain a good credit score after having a bad credit rating, when living in and out of a personal overdraft!

To increase your credit score or improve your credit rating you need to pay any credit account you have on time and make sure your payments are for the correct amount. It does not matter how much money you have in your bank account. It is as simple as that, if you are struggling with credit accounts get rid of them where possible.

 Start a fresh and gain control on a monthly or weekly basis!

Car finance and all other types of credit agreements are listed on your credit report so it is important too keep up with all agreements not just the ones that are important to you.

Most people suffer from a bad credit score due to not being able to keep up with regular monthly repayments, some months they encounter extra unexpected living costs, such as motor breakdowns and domestic appliance problems.

• These tend to need immediate attention which costs and these costs are what tend to set the individual back.

When payments are then missed for credit accounts, the credit companies are duty bound to update the credit reference agencies monthly such as Experian and Equifax.  These credit reference agencies keep your credit file up to date so that when you apply for any borrowings or credit, the lender you are applying too has the right with your permission to search your credit file for any information they may require to either approve, or decline your application.

• When an application for credit is refused or turned down, the lender is under no obligation to tell you why.  This can often offend people but the policy not to disclose the reason for decline is normal practice within the credit industry.

If you have never seen a copy of your credit report, it can at first take time to understand.  Once you have seen it you will feel more comfortable looking at it next time you need to, and so on.  It is important to keep a check on your credit report as this can inform you of any searches that have been made in your name without your awareness.

Credit Expert from Experian is the most well know of the credit reference agencies that allow you to view your credit report online.  They offer a free 30 day trial.  This is a trading name or brand of a company called Experian who advertise on Television, you may have seen the credit expert TV adverts.

Lenders use different parts of your credit report to assess if they are able to lend to you, this differs from lender to lender.  If you make multiple applications for credit and get refused within a short period of time, say one day to a week or even within one month, you can reduce your credit score that way, so be careful when applying for credit.

Prospective lenders do not like to see many refused applications for credit within your file over a short period of time, it can show that you are desperate to obtain the credit and this can worry a lender.

If you need advice regarding clearing personal debts after suffering a bad credit history, you can call our free debt helpline 24 hours a day in total confidence using 0800 018 6868.

Personal debt has been driven up by our previous government allowing banks to basically over lend, just like the previous government increased the countries own debt level.  It all has to be repaid at some point and now we find the banks are unable to lend against property unless people can provide a deposit, in some cases being up to 35% of the desired property value. Interbank lending reductions are also showing signs of returning.  This means money becomes even shorter in supply generally throughout the entire economy.

If we look at consumer personal debt levels, these have been created via irresponsible lending and irresponsible spending, but not in all cases. 

Some people have also consolidated their personal unsecured debts such as credit cards and loans, store cards and catalogues into either a new secured loan against their home or into the existing mortgage by remortgaging the money from available equity in their home.

This is very risky when you think that in the very near future, interest rates will have to start going up again and that will mean that people again will feel the squeeze in their monthly budget as their mortgage or home repayment costs go up.  Some will be able to manage the increase and some will not, these are the people that really should be looking in their most trusted crystal ball at the moment.

When lending by banks against property reduces it can also mean that house prices in turn may fall, this is because people have to be more realistic about the value of their house for sale purposes if they really wish to move quickly, banks will only lend money against a property for what it is worth, not for what a vendor feels they have spent on it which actually becomes perceived added value.  The perception of increased value is not always there in the eyes of the banks at the point of lending!

International investment from outside the UK from people moving here or buying second homes here, coupled with the fact that demand in the UK for new affordable housing is outstripping supply and has done for the past couple of decades, means that this supply and demand issue for new affordable housing could be the only saving grace to our UK housing market, if the international money which usually goes directly into London stops due to global issues and the banks don’t inter lend, then the only people buying houses will be first time buyers with very large deposits, therefore a reduction in most house prices would follow.

If you have unsecured personal debts and a mortgage to pay each month you should make sure that the credit repayments are not eating up the majority of your income, if they are it is time to seek some personal debt advice.  If you think things could get out of control for you financially if you suffered a change in circumstance, then you should be planning ahead just in case.

When you repay credit cards and loans, sometimes you are servicing the debt by only paying interest that is accruing, this is as good as renting your debt off of your creditor, you must get into a debt reduction plan as soon as possible if this is the case.

• Taking the first step to sorting a financial problem is usually the hardest, as with most unfamiliar things we do in life.

If you need professional advice regarding your outstanding personal finances then call our free debt helpline today in confidence using 0800 018 6868, lines are open 24 hours and your call is free.

It never ceases to shock our financial advisors how many people actually are not aware that they may be able to get a better deal on their existing

• car insurance
• home insurance
• life insurance

or for any insurances they may be paying premiums.

• Insurance can be costly, but even more expensive if you choose the wrong product or type of cover.

For years, insurances of all types were mis-sold and nowadays it is correct to say that the insurance industry within the UK has been regulated and is monitored carefully by the respective authorities.

When you choose an insurance policy, it is not always clear which is your best option, therefore, the advice you get regarding the policies available is of paramount importance.  A broker with access to all different policies made available through many different insurers can be one option for you to buy your insurance, another could be to go direct to one insurer and this way you would cut out any middle man fees, the problem being you will only be advised on the policies that company can offer, there may be a better policy with another direct insurance supplier. 

• So what do you do?
• Do you call all of them or use comparison sites such as moneysupermaket or gocompare or even comparethemarket?

We would recommend using what we call a comparison broker, this way you feel it is fair to pay a broker fee if the broker explains the different policies available and in turn helps you to come to a sound decision.

When in personal debt, it can be most important to consider every option available within your means to reduce your outgoings; this includes things such as motor or car insurance, home insurance and life insurance etc. Sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised at the savings you can make just by changing insurance company.

The average domestic car or home insurance policy will usually run for about 1 year, and then it will be ready for renewal. The industry and insurance companies change their policies so frequently that when it comes around again for you to renew, the products available could be very different and far more attractive than your last policy, 12 months is a long time in the insurance industry.

Please remember to shop about for the best deal, it is not always the one that is easily found, these companies use clever and expensive marketing tactics and campaigns to generate an enquiry from you, make sure you know exactly who you are dealing with and who will be supplying the insurance.  For most people this information may sound basic but for many of us insurance is still an unknown but necessary evil!

For help and advice regarding any personal debt problems please contact our free debt helpline in confidence using 0800 018 6868, our lines are open 24 hours a day and your call is free.

The above is exactly the same as when an individual or consumer leaves a personal debt problem to grow out of control without taking action to balance the income and expenditure into the household.

The longer the debt problem is left un-managed, the greater the problem becomes to manage!

Debt Management plans have been around in the UK since the early nineties, they offer consumers in personal debt an informal opportunity to pay off debts without having to borrow any more money to do so.  Debt Management Plans came about due to people finding they could not obtain any further credit to consolidate, or put into one, all the other debts they had accumulated.

If you find you are in need of a debt management plan, the first thing you should do is contact a reputable debt management company.  This way you can obtain advice regarding your personal situation.  You should not be charged any fees up front when being advised and only if you decide to use that particular debt management service should you be asked to part with any money.

Debt Management in the UK is very common place in the personal finance industry and when a debt management plan is operated professionally by a reputable personal debt service, consumers can find that a debt management plan is a very useful solution to clear personal debt problems.

A debt management plan can help you to clear unsecured personal debts such as, credit cards and store cards, personal loans and overdrafts, catalogues, book clubs and even allow for you to repay car finance, mortgages and other commitments as part of the solution if your disposable expenditure allows for it. All secured debts such as car finance, mortgages and secured home loans have to be kept up and cannot be included within the debt management companies’ dealings with creditors, the debt management company must make an allowance within your expenditure for you to maintain these payments as they constitute your priority debts, this is how they form part of the overall debt solution that a personal debt management plan can offer.

Priority debts are debts that must be paid before others are taken into account, for example your mortgage payments must be taken more seriously than your credit card payments.  It sounds so simple but the pressure that credit card companies can put on people who owe them money is often enough to make them prioritise the credit card repayment over the mortgage repayment.

This is why the press report horror stories daily about people who have lost their home due to failing to keep up with mortgage or rental payments.

If you find yourself in need of help and advice regarding a debt management plan or other form of personal debt solution, please contact our free debt helpline 24 hours a day in the UK using 0800 018 6868, our lines are open and your call is free!

Due to rises in fuel prices and the general cost of living, most people are finding it difficult to manage or reduce monthly payments that they have.

There is a point where some people find they cannot cut back any further.

Without the programmes enthusiasm in your front room, how can you implement the same money saving ideas and stick to them. One thing that was mentioned was the “impulse buy”, items bought out of a want, not a need!

Fed up of having no money left at the end of the month after paying all the bills?

There are a great number of ways to save money each month and the following are just a few;

• Change Electricity or Gas supplier
• Change Internet provider
• Change Telephone provider
• Change or reduce TV subscriptions
• Change Supermarkets
• Do not make impulse purchases only buy when you need to!
• Change Clothes Shops
• Change Petrol Station
• Change your car
• Change your Ways!!!

It is okay having this information but acting on it is very hard, sometimes it can take a massive effort as all the changes are a shock to the system.

We say this because when you have to cut back it can seem like a drastic change in lifestyle as you are used to buying luxury items that are not needed, this comes from emotional or impulse purchases, the money you used could have been used to clear other bills but the control is what was lacking.

Once you have impulse purchases under control, changes to your living expenses as mentioned above should start to have a positive impact on your weekly or monthly budget and ongoing expenditure. You should find you are reducing payments and other costs leaving you with more of a disposable income, the money you have left over each month after paying bills and all living costs.

Saving money can start with little things like where you buy your lunch each day or how you make it. Save on holidays, cars, nights out, clothes etc..

Life will seem strange but you will get used to it and then you can start a fresh!

If you have personal debt problems and are struggling to find a way to reduce repayments to credit card and loan companies, you can call our free debt helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Call 0800 018 6868 free.

If you find yourself with a financial problem and have bad credit or are unable to cope with mounting debt problems, then you may want to search the marketplace for information that can help you discover the best solution for reducing or eliminating personal debt.

There are a number of very authoritative internet debt consultants and resources online that offer information for getting out of debt and they could help you with your personal situation.

Be very careful that you do not jump in with the first company that comes along without doing some research about the company, how long has the debt company been in business? Make sure you ring them to see how professional their approach is. After all you want your affairs to be handled on an individual basis and your interests should be of the utmost importance. 

Finding the best and highest quality of companies within the Debt Consolidation field will help and ensure your overall plan to reduce your indebtedness over the longterm is fruitful.

Unfortunately, there are a number of debt consolidation agencies, debt negotiators, and debt settlement consultants who will take you for a ride. If you find they are advertising their services saying that they can get your debts eliminated in 10 minutes or less, they are the kind of companies that you want avoid at all costs.

These claims are not justifiable and simply not possible. You need to work with a debt consolidation company that offers you viable and workable individual solutions to eliminate your debt in the medium to long term.

You must realise the real facts that no one can eliminate your debts without a personal Bankruptcy petition. Most debt management resources reduce debts through renegotiations with your creditors.

You will find that some personal debt consultants even claim to be able to “eliminate your interest rates” completely, this is not entirely truthful.

When a debt management company consolidates all of your unsecured debts, they will gather all of your unsecured debt repayments and roll them into one new single repayment, which then reduces your monthly outgoings.

If you aren’t dealing with an honest debt consolidation company or one that has a high reputation in the industry who can negotiate the best solution, there’s a very good possibility that they will also roll those high interest rates into your total debt, which may still reduce your monthly outgoing but unbeknown to you, will cause you to have a larger overall debt level.  Be very careful with this type of tactic.

Therefore, it is important that you ask the company or debt consultant about what it is they can do for you, after you have provided them with sufficient information for them to work out an overall plan.

Educate yourself a little with regard to what interest rates you have been paying on your current debts, so that you are empowered to have the knowledge to make an informed decision.

Above all, be prepared to pay a reasonable fee for the services of a reputable company. There is no such thing as a “free lunch”.  Someone has to pay the people who organise and negotiate on your behalf. Companies that claim that you don’t need to pay them anything are in fact being paid by the creditors and getting fees somewhere in the process. We find that many people would rather agree to pay a set fee and get on with the task of getting back on the right path.

You are advised to have all the proper paperwork regarding your debts organised and if possible obtain a copy of your credit report.

If you are in doubt, do some research of your own, telephone the companies that you have listed and contact them by phone.

Lewis Alexander Financial Management offer a first class personal Debt Management Service, nationwide throughout the UK. We have in house specialists who concentrate on debt management and loan consolidation and we have been looking after a great number of our clients for many years now.

Call the Lewis Alexander free debt helpline using 0800 018 6868, our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and your call is free.

We are specialists in personal debt management consultancy and help many people every day to clear and consolidate personal debt problems. 

• Personal Debt Consultants at Lewis Alexander will not charge you for advice!

If you are suffering from excessive charges and interest rates that are being applied to your credit agreements then you should take advice from a personal debt consultant sooner rather than later.

• Do not stick your head in the sand like an Ostrich, get professional advice from trained personal debt consultants.

Your creditors will be sympathetic to the problem you find yourself with and you should approach them with details of changes in your circumstances or with reason for the lack of your ability to repay.

When credit and debt becomes a problem, it can seem as though you are the only one suffering, this is not the case, if we all could see inside other peoples wallets, we may find a lot of other people in the UK are currently suffering from the same financial problems.

Personal debt consultants can help by advising the best solution to take with advice tailored to your personal situation.

Some people just carry on day after day hoping that the problem will go away, unfortunately it does not and often it will get larger over time if not dealt with. 

You must accept that you are not alone and personal debt consultants can help you, they are specialists in what they do and even though all of us are different, the problems we face financially tend to be the same.

If you would like to speak with a trained personal debt consultant in total confidence today, then please call our free debt helpline using 0800 018 6868, lines are open 24 hours, 7 days.

• This is a mistake that can cost you dearly.

In the long term it can cause a greater indebtedness.  Usually, credit card companies will charge considerably more for the combined credit, applying interest rates that will be far greater than the current average of all your interest being applied to all your individual accounts. The last thing you would want is a higher interest rate leading yourself deeper into the cycle of debt.

The problem of getting into debt may have been primarily caused by the credit cards in the first place. It is already a well known fact that many debtors wanting to consolidate their loans are doing so because of unmanageable credit cards and therefore it makes little sense to use credit cards to consolidate personal debt!

• The whole point of trying to reduce debt is that you should be working to decrease your bills and outgoings.
• The common mistake people make is to take the easiest way out to pay off their debt with credit cards as they still have a line of credit available.
• This can cause a problem in the not too distant future if the individual suffers a further change in personal circumstances.

It is so easy to use more credit to pay for existing bills by paying one bill off and adding a new balance to a new or exisiting credit card or loan that will need to be paid off in the future.

The way to reduce your debt would be to get cheaper or less expensive rates of credit and pay off the more expensive credit first, which is usually credit cards.

You will find that credit and loan companies have large resources at their disposal in terms of the best lenders rates available and will have a better negotiating stance than you for the best debt consolidation loan rates. That action would achieve the desired results by reducing the debt in the long and the short term.

• Your only problem could be the fact that your personal credit rating does not allow for your lenders acceptance for providing this new loan.

Let us imagine for a moment that you owe money on your mortgage, car payments, insurance and some household bills such as electricity and gas.

Your first stop should always be to approach your mortgage company to let them know of your situation, they are a priority creditor.

• Burying your head in the sand will not make your debt go away!

It is quite amazing that people would take the easy way out and pay their mortgage using their credit cards instead of approaching the mortgage company and informing them of the personal debt problems. You will find that mortgage lenders are usually understanding of your problem if approached early on.

If the hardship is caused by a temporary situation from being out of work for a short while then this contact between you and your creditors can become a financial lifesaver.

You will still need a professional debt advisor if your situation persists and it is important that you find a way to reduce your outgoings in the long run to ensure you do not get deeper into debt.

There are a number of ways that an amount of personal debt outstanding can be consolidated and rolled into one new monthly repayment. Some of the most chosen options follow;

• Debt Consolidation Loan
• Debt Management Plan
• IVA or Individual Voluntary Arrangement

Each case is different and that is where a debt management company usually excels itself in providing the best advice for your own individual needs.

Lewis Alexander Financial Management offers a first class personal Debt Management Service, nationwide throughout the UK. We are based in Manchester, England and we have helped thousands of consumers suffering with personal debt problems in our history.

We have in house specialists who concentrate on debt management plans and personal debt consolidation and we have been looking after a great number of our clients for many years now.

Call Lewis Alexander on their free debt helpline using 0800 018 6868, our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and your call is FREE.

If you are worried about debt problems it can start to escalate very quickly and it almost feels as if it is out of control before it actually is.  The stress of debt can be very upsetting to anyone that is going through times of financial crisis or hardship.

This is not something that is a problem for only adults but it also affects the younger generations.  As times have become harder, many people have dipped into past savings to cope with the harsher economic climate and unemployment.  Increasing outgoings and money for basics such as rent, rates and heating are becoming hard to meet and find.

• You may already be in a situation that seems to be getting out of control and you think that there is not much you can do to get yourself out of this debt trap.
• You may be already feeling depressed and unable to sleep.

Let me tell you that even if you are in any of the situations above and as Christmas, the festive season is around the corner, you have many solutions that will make a real difference to the way you feel about yourself and your financial situation.

• You can make one simple phone call to a professional who knows how to deal with your situation!
• You may be going through phases of guilt and shame because of your financial status?
• Professional counsellors have been dealing with these kinds of situations for a long time!

Worrying about your debt can take over your whole life and start you on a path of creating negative views and differing judgment on everything around.

• All of a sudden the situation seems bleak, but there is help available!

Approach a reputable debt management company and you will be put at ease immediately.  The most difficult situation is to come to terms with the debt itself, ask for help, seek professional advice from people who have your interests at the heart of what they do, talk to them, and discuss your situation today in confidence.

Once you have made that initial contact you will find that things are not too bad.  You will certainly feel that you have the courage to deal with the problems and suddenly you can see a glimmer of light at the end of what seemed to be a long bleak tunnel.

• Are you lying awake at night worrying about debt problems with Christmas just around the corner?
• Have you been wondering how you will cope with trying to keep the children happy over the Christmas period?
• Find yourself getting angry with you and the people around you?
• Are you feeling depressed and feeling that you are all alone in debt? 
• Stop… Make one free call now!

Take a look around a few of the best debt management companies, spend a few minutes and check out their credentials.  Make a simple phone call and the hardest part is finally over. Your advisor will have a confidential chat with you to see where they can help and with what solutions.  Always remember that you need to take action to help yourself make the decisions that may seem difficult initially and start making adjustments to your own lifestyle and expenses.

Lewis Alexander Financial Management offer a first class personal Debt Management Service, nationwide throughout the UK.  We are based in Manchester and we have helped thousands of client’s in our history.  We employ specialists who concentrate on debt management and loan consolidation and we have been looking after a great number of our clients for many years now.

Contact Lewis Alexander online or call them using UK free debt helpline 0800 018 6868, lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and your call is free.