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TOC Chap 1 Chap 4 Chap 5 Chap 6 Chap 7 Chap 8 Chap 9 Chap 10 Chap 11 Chap 12 Chap 13

Table of Contents

 
 
 
 
Chapter 1:   9
Chapter 2:  
The Start of Credit
12
Chapter 3:  
Credit 101   
15
 
The What & How
16
 
Payday Loans - The Short-term Industry
17
 
The First-Timers
19
Chapter 4:   23
 
Card Categories
28
 
Credit Limits
30
 
Annual Fees
33

The Free Grace Period
34
 
Understanding Credit Card Interest
35
 
The Cheap Promotional Rate
38
 
Congratulations! You're Pre-selected
39
 
Killing Your Credit Card
40
Chapter 5:    41
 
Can You Afford It?
44
 
What's Your Net Worth?
46
 
Collateral
46
 
If They Say No
47
 
Buy Now - Pay Later
49
 
No Interest Promotions
50
 
No Down Payments
51
 
No Payments - For a While
52
  Common Finance Arrangements 53
 
The Fine Print of Advertisements
56
 
Are Lower Rates Really Cheaper?
57
 
Borrowing From Friends or Relatives
58
 
Don't Forget!
59
Chapter 6: 60
 
Buy New or Used?
64
 
Take the Rebate or Cool Rate?
66
 
Down Payments
68
 
Zero Percent Financing
69
 
Do Not Pay Until 2015
70
 
All Those Other Gimmicks
71
 
Balloon Financing
76
 
Where to Finance
77
 
Leasing Made Simple
78
Chapter 7: 84
 
Secured Lines       
86
 
Using a Credit Line for Your Mortgage
87
 
The Risk of Using Them
88
Chapter 8:  92
 
Shopping for a Mortgage
93
 
What Happens When You Apply?
98
 
Open or Closed?   
99
 
Amortization vs. the Term
100
 
Common Mortgage Types
101
 
Mortgage Insurance
103
 
Mortgage Rates
105
 
The Questions You've Gotta Ask
107
 
Changing Your Mortgage
109
 
Paying More - Paying More Often
112
 
Home Equity Lines of Credit
115
Chapter 9: 116
 
What's in Your File
117
 
What a File Looks Like
118
 
How to Check your Information
120
 
Mistakes to Look for
120
 
How to Fix Stuff
121
 
Credit Problems & Repairs
123
 
What are Credit References?
126
Chapter 10: 127
 
The Scorecard Model
128
 
Why Your Score Matters
130
 
Your Beacon Score
133
Chapter 11: 134
Chapter 12: 139
 
  Building Financial Success
141
 
  Is There Good Debt?
143
 
  It All Starts With a Game-plan
146
 
  Bad Debt Traps
153
Chapter 13: 155
Appendixes
162
 
Definitions
162
 
Statement of Assets & Liabilities
165
 
Debt Service & Income Worksheet     
166
 
Budget worksheet
167
 
Mortgage Homework Check-list
169
 
Promissory Note
171
 
Contact Information
172
 
Credit Counseling Agencies
172
 
Schedule I Banks in Canada
173
 
Credit Unions & Locator
174
 
Credit Bureaus
175
 
Principal Issuers of Visa and MasterCard
176
Reference Tables & Charts
177
 
Credit Card Payment & Savings Calculator
177
 
Credit Card Issuers & Comparisons
180
 
Low Rate Cards
180
 
Standard Rate Cards
181
 
Retail & Secured Cards
183
 
Student Cards
184
 
Finance Payment Tables
185
 
Mortgage Payment Tables
190

 

 
 
 
 

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