I don't think that there's been much change in the parameters relating to my cards (one recently signed up for) in recent months. It's the old corporate game - while they love competition among their suppliers ... and among their customers ... they hate it on their own level and work to get rid of their competition at whatever cost: buy the competitors, squeeze them out, start frightening rumours about them or whatever. There aren't a lot of card companies ... so they can pretty well set their own rules ... and we can take it or leave it. They offer unsecured loans ... and have been suffering losses, as people die owing, go bankrupt, etc. And, the economy being what it is, with so many becoming unemployed, they likely anticipate more such losses in the near future. Plus many of the banks have been left holding the bag on many of those stinky loans, mortgages, etc. - I own Canadian bank shares, which got stuck with a number of them, and the value of my shares are now less than 40% of what they were in early summer 2007. Good wishes for increasing skill at managing your money effectively. ole joyful

Lucy 2222, I'm glad that your credit card debts aren't at the usual high rates that they charge - usually 15 - 18%. That makes it much more difficult to get the amount still owing reduced, as so much of the regular payments must go to pay interest. If it's any consolation - store-issued cards are usually much more difficult to clear, as they usually charge 25 - 28%. I'm glad that you don't have any of them to cope with. If you can have the persistence to keep plugging away at the payments without getting the feeling of satisfaction that comes with getting one paid off fairly soon, I prefer paying the extra amount monthly, or at least most of it, on the HELOC, as it carries the highest interest rate. And if interest rates go up, it could be raised even higher. On a larger amount still owing. As credit card debt is unsecured, in case of serious problem, the credit card co. can hound you, but not take your house. As the people that carry the HELOC have secured debt, the loan being secured by a lien against your house, they could cause your house to be sold, if things go really bad with that one. That seems to me another reason to get rid of that one as soon as possible. Are the interest rates on the Visa debts fixed throughout the full term that the amount is owing? Sometimes they offer low rates, but that rate is for a limited period, e.g. a year or so, or even only a few months. After that, the interest rate becomes much higher. And usually if one doesn't make the full minimum payment, or the payment is a day late, etc., the rate goes to the usual higher rate immediately. I hope that you won't run yourself down into the dirt for getting into this problem. Lots of people have sort of wandered into a similar kind of a bind. It's really easy to get bogged down in debt - really easy: as you've found out. But while I ask that you not hate yourself for this mistake, I also ask that you be honest with yourself, and face the real issues and choices that you have made that are hurting you now. You have made a really good start, in recognizing the problem, and making a reasonable plan to get the problem fixed. A plan that is, according to your evaluation, do-able. As someone has suggested, I agree that it would be a good idea for you to get some information from the library to help you along the line of learning how debt works and how to manage it. It's really a situation where you gave yourself a pay cut - for, as you bought the goods that were more than you could afford on your current earnings, you set up a situation where you had to pay for it out of future income. Not only that, you had to pay rent on the money that you borrowed to buy goods before you had saved enough to buy them with your own money. That rent on the borrowed money is an expense to be paid in future , that you would not have had to pay had you been less impatient, could have waited until you could pay for the items out of your income at the time. After you get the loans paid off, please follow the suggestion offered above, of saving most of the $900. monthly to build an emergency fund to be available in case some unexpected but necessary expense crops up. When one has a such a cushion, it eases one's mind greatly. And can I offer a further suggestion? But that you go even one better ... get some materials that will help you learn how to manage your investments so that they produce better results for you than many obtain, plus reducing or deferring income tax, etc. In over 20 years as a personal financial advisor, I've told a number of people that learning how money works is an interesting hobby ... ... and it's a hobby **that pays well**!! Maybe you could retire early. Or retire a millionaire. Dream some great dreams ... but not of the castles in the air kind, but of ones that can be brought to pass, with increasing skill, effort, some self-control, and persistence. You can do it - and when you need some advice, or support, or to cry on someone's shoulder - come any time. We want to see you succeed in this noble enterprise that you've chosen. Good wishes for getting these debts whittled down. ole joyful

First the most important thing is they can not discuss or try to collect the debt from anyone other than the name on the card. Some states how ever can discuss it with the spouse but they can't collect or force the spouse to pay. If they have disclosed the debt to his mom they have violated FDCPA regulations. He can actually sue them for doing this. This can not show up on the wifes credit report unless she is on the account as an authorized user. If o, she need to call and remove herself. She also need to stress "Do not call me at work" they have to of once again they will violate FDCPA regs. The only other way it can affect the wife is if they own a home and the credit card company decides to litigate if they are successful they can have a lien put against the house. Consumer Credit Counseling Services is a great place to start, but beware of the "gazillion" companies out there they "pretend" to be CCCS. They need to give them a call. With the wife increasing her debt they may soon find that she is in the same shape. If he hasn't worked since last year he needs to go out and get some kind of job to bring something in. In my 30 years in the "credit" industry you can't believe the number of times I have heard "if I can't make what I was making I am not going to take the job". I don't know their situation but something is better than nothing. Hope this helps. Karla p.s. Sue I have a friend who is also an attorney and goes through the same thing. about once a month I get a call from him that starts with "I have this client....." lol he is getting pretty good at the credit thing :)

Geez, what a nightmare. Why can't people just be honest and treat others like they'd like to be treated? I just don't get it, it's not that hard. I really wanted to bid on some beautiful RL bedding, a rare style, but I really had to read between the lines and push to get info. Apparently with the shams the seller mentioned although never used, she did launder one "by mistake", but it went right back in the package. Saw no logic in that whatsoever... Since it was cotton and lace (delicate), I wondered if she dried it (which would ruin it). I emailed her asking if the washed sham had been distorted or shrank as a result. No reply. I wait a few days, auction is nearing and end, and basically email her a 'hey, I'd really like to bid, but have not received a reply to my question so I'm giving it one more try here.' That generated a response from her, she admitted that the laundered sham was 'snug' and corners 'curled', but suggested ironing would make it fit properly again. Good grief. (She failed to include that significant detail in her description, even after I asked, she didn't post my question and her answer.) Very cat and mouse. I'm glad I took time to push it, because although it was a beautiful set I might well be out the $, and it would be worthless with only one good sham (and it garnered pretty high $$). I'm watching to see what kind of feedback occurs once the buyer receives it. Anyway, back to valinsv's guy. Clearly there are major issues with some items he sells. Is he too ignorant to realize that having integrity would only bolster his business that much more? That's the part I just don't get. Treat people right, they'll keep coming back. Treat them badly as a habit and sooner or later he's going to lose. Seems to me with the type of volume he does he'd be a lot further ahead if he'd just be honest. Just curious mona if you might know: if he does get kicked off, is his IP address banned, or just his ebay ID? He seems to have such a huge system set up and selling high volume, can't see him just walking away. Could he just come back under a new ID? (Although given his business and volume and listing style, it would be easy to recognize it might be him.)