Related Consumer Finance Programs - The following lists of companies and financial service providers offer services to assist you with handling your debts. Combine debt with a consolidation loan or use a credit counseling or debt relief program for help with lowering your payments and getting your credit card bills and other obligations under control.
- Credit Debt Consolidation - Learn about the debt consolidation process and review detailed listings for lenders and services offering to help consolidate your debts.
- Credit Card Debt Management - Having trouble keeping up with your monthly credit payments? Compare debt management companies in this online list that can try amd help you get a grip on your personal financial situation.
- Debt Settlement Negotiation - Too much debt? List of companies providing this alternative to bankruptcy that provides for debt negotiation and arbitration services for those that need to eliminate debt.
Cutting Your Costs
Simple Strategies for Saving Money on Loans and Credit Cards
7. Take advantage of the Internet. Not only can you research credit products and comparison shop among hundreds of lenders over the Internet, but you can also apply for a loan or credit card online from those same lenders.
"The Internet is, without question, the fastest and easiest way for consumers to find out about and compare the various types of loans and credit cards offered by banks around the country," observed Michael Jackson, Associate Director of the FDIC's Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection. He added that if you find an interesting offer from a far-away bank or an Internet-only lender, "in most cases you can apply for and finalize the loan online; you don't have to pass up a good deal just because the institution doesn't have an office in your area."
However, Jackson also warned that because con artists use the Internet to trick consumers into divulging personal financial information, you should never respond to unsolicited e-mails or to Web sites offering products or services that appear "too good to be true." For guidance on whether a bank is legitimate, call the FDIC at 1-877-275-3342 or use Bank Find, our online directory of insured institutions, at www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main_bankfind.asp.
FDIC Consumer News is published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
FDIC Consumer News is produced quarterly by the FDIC Office of Public Affairs in cooperation with other Divisions and Offices. It is intended to present information in a nontechnical way and is not intended to be a legal interpretation of FDIC or other government regulations and policies. Mention of a product, service or company does not constitute an endorsement.
Find current and past issues of FDIC Consumer News at http://www.fdic.gov/consumernews. Refer to this same index to locate the issues that are specially formatted for being reprinted in any quantity.
To receive an e-mail notice about each new issue of FDIC Consumer News posted on the FDIC Web site, with links to stories, follow instructions posted at www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
Last updated on 8/10/2007