Atlanta Bankruptcy Attorney Blog

You've made the resolution to get out of debt this year. Now comes the hard part, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys - sticking to it.

If merely wanting a goal was enough, we'd all be skinny, rich non-nail biters. Obviously that's not the case. In reality, most folks fail to keep New Year's resolutions because their plans don't adhere to the "three Rs," according to CreditCards.com. If you want to improve your finances this year, you need a blueprint that's reasonable, realistic and rewarding.

Continue reading "Debt-Free in 2011 Part II: How to Stick to Your Goals " »

The average New Year's resolution involves either bettering your health, improving your finances or kicking a bad habit. But why settle for just one when you can accomplish all three?

Sure, it might sound a little ambitious. But it can be done by making just one simple change, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. And that's getting out of debt.

Continue reading "Debt-Free in 2011 Part I: Making a Financial New Year's Resolution" »

I don't know about you, but I'm always a little sad once all the Christmas presents have been opened and family and friends have gone home. Fortunately I've discovered a way to keep the holiday spirit around after the holidays: gift cards.

I realize that gift cards are old news by now. In fact, cards are by far the most requested and received Christmas gift, according to the National Retail Federation - probably because people like the freedom to choose their own presents. But the amount of utility we get from gift cards varies wildly depending on how we use them. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, a little planning goes a long way, advise Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "How Atlanta Residents Can Stretch Gift Card Dollars This Christmas" »

If you thought the Grinch was a mean one, wait until you hear about Christmas card financial scam artists.

You know those e-cards you get from family, friends and co-workers? The ones that feature pretty winter scenes, Christmas trees you can decorate with a point-and-click of your mouse or creepy dancing elves you can personalize with your own face? Well, now they might feature something else - spyware that can infect your computer and steal your identity, according to Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Atlanta Computer Users Fall For Holiday Greeting Card Scam" »

How can you help others when you can barely help yourself? It's a question on the minds of many Americans as we pass the Salvation Army red kettle and toss the requests for donations that pile up in the mailbox this holiday season.

But there are ways to give to charity even when times are tough, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. Just ask the nearly two-thirds of Americans who plan to donate before the year is out, despite tough economic times that make paying the mortgage and credit card bills extra difficult. Even though more than 80 percent in a recent survey said they have the same amount or less money than last year, more than 70 percent say they will give the same or more as last year. So how do they do it?

Continue reading "Atlanta Residents Still Find Time and Money to Donate to Charity Despite Downturn" »

In the classic holiday battle for our hard-earned dollars, consumers seem to have the upper hand over retailers this year.

That's because, for the first time in decades, Christmas shoppers are choosing to spend with cash rather than credit, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. TransUnion reported an 11 percent drop in major credit card use compared to this time last year. And the rate of shoppers using credit during the Black Friday weekend was the lowest in the 27 years since an annual survey began tracking our holiday spending habits. It seems that consumers are finally catching on stores' holiday tricks.

Continue reading "Atlanta Shoppers Choose Cash Instead of Credit Cards in Stores This Season" »

Freddie Mac is feeling more Santa than Scrooge this season - if for only a brief period of time.

For the third year in a row, the government-backed mortgage giant plans to stop foreclosure evictions between Dec. 20 and Jan. 4. It's good news for seriously delinquent homeowners who might have otherwise lost the roof over their head during the holiday. Unfortunately, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys, it won't do anything to stop folks from losing their homes after the start of the New Year.

Continue reading "Foreclosures Stop Temporarily for Atlanta Homeowners " »

We all know that saving money means spending less - that's just simple math. But where you choose to make the cut is up to you.

If you're anything like most Americans, you're a little worried about how you're going to make it though the holiday season without bleeding money. And ultimately you've got a couple choices, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. You can pare back on Christmas costs - maybe spend less on presents, opt for a potluck instead of a gift exchange or stay away from the stores altogether. Or you can indulge within reason and cut back costs elsewhere to make up the difference. In fact, if you play your cards right, you may even be able to come out ahead when the holiday festivities are all said and done.

Continue reading "Best Ways for Atlanta Consumers to Lower Debt During the Holidays" »

They say home is where the heart is - maybe it's time to put our money there, too. At least, that's the theory behind Small Business Saturday.

Never mind that the campaign, which starts today, is backed by credit giant American Express - who happens to be offering an incentive in the form of $25 credit to the first 200,000 folks who register their AmEx cards on the SmallBusinessSaturday.com. It's a way to pump money into the local economy - and in theory, back into our own bank accounts. And that's good news for those of us with debilitating personal debt, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Atlanta Consumers Encouraged to Shop Local and Save Money Today" »

What's your perfect Thanksgiving? Is it hanging out with family and friends and having your fill of turkey, stuffing and Grandma's famous candied yams? Or is it plotting your Black Friday shopping spree?

Americans are increasingly choosing the latter, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. For the first time, many big box stores aren't even waiting until Friday to unveil their holiday sales - they're opening their doors today. It seems the day that used to be about giving thanks is now about Christmas consumerism. At a time when many folks can barely handle paying the mortgage, it's a costly trend. And it's not just our bank accounts that will suffer.

Continue reading "How Atlanta Families Can Give Thanks for Saving Money This Thanksgiving" »

You thought pumpkin pie was tasty - how about a slice of a $164 million pie the IRS is hoping to serve up this season?

No, it's not a scam, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. It's just the government's effort to get late tax refunds to the more than 100,000 Americans that haven't yet received money due to incorrect mailing addresses. If you're looking for help paying the bills and lowering debt - and you haven't yet received your refund - this could be your early Christmas present.

Continue reading "Why Atlanta Taxpayers Might Still Be Eligible For a Late Tax Refund" »

It looks like many Atlanta residents are going to spend this Thursday giving thanks for the food on their table - and the roof over their head.

Despite rising costs and holiday pressure, fewer homeowners are becoming delinquent on their house payments, according to new foreclosure data. Part of the change can be attributed to an improving economy and budget-conscious consumers. In fact, consumer debt is currently at the lowest rate it's been in years. On the other hand, experts say that another reason delinquency rates are down is that banks are finally evicting some homeowners who haven't paid the bills for months and months. If only they had known about their options.

Continue reading "Fewer Atlanta Homeowners Late On Mortgage Payments This Holiday Season" »

There's a reason that our grandparents weren't thousands of dollars in credit card debt - and now there's a way we can follow in their footsteps.

Most of our financial problems today stem from our tendency to spend money before we have it, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. Grandma and Grandpa, on the other hand, knew not to spend what they couldn't afford. But that didn't mean they had to go without, either. By using layaway instead of credit, people of past generations could make affordable payments towards Christmas gifts and other large purchases without the hassle of interest, fees and growing debt.

Continue reading "Atlanta Consumers Turn to Layaway to Avoid Holiday Shopping Debt" »

Some Americans are making two trips to the thrift store this season - one to donate, and another to do some holiday shopping.

It's just one example of how consumers have changed since the Great Recession. According to the Associated Press, middle-class Americans have become more comfortable shopping in thrift and consignment stores, using layaway instead of credit and buying generic brands instead of name brands. And it's helping us pay down debt, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "More Atlanta Shoppers Buy Generic, Discounted and Gently Used This Holiday Season " »

When is saving money not all it's cracked up to be? Maybe when it comes to holiday rebates.

Every holiday season, stores roll out shiny, new merchandise - and new sales pitches to get us to buy it, even when we're short on cash thanks to not-so-great economic times, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. Some of those specials include rebates - purchases in which we can apply to get money back from the company after paying full price at the store. Most shoppers won't argue with a discount, even a delayed one, but maybe they would if they knew the truth - only half of consumers end up redeeming rebates.

Continue reading "Do Holiday Rebates Really Offer Big Savings for Atlanta Shoppers?" »