That is good, one with your finances can not afford to pay interest on any loans, you need the money.

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In the UK there are two main ways credit ratings are assessed, the first is on how someone repays their existing debit (credit cards, bank loans, mortgages and so on), the second looks at those, but adds into the calculation the regularity of saving. In the second type of calculation two people with the same income, and the same debit profile (money owed, maintenance of payments etc), but one saves regularly and the other doesn't; the regular saver will score more highly than the other.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Credit Karma(it's FREE)

That's a great website. I've used it for several years. They provide Transunion and Equifax's credit reports for free. It's a great way to keep an eye on things.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

I will have them all paid off by 2017, about 1.5 years from now in fact.

Vic the point is how much interest will you have paid in that time? The interest is money that you could have spent on things you need or want.

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Vic, if you use that card (with its extra credit limit) to get cash out of an ATM all you are doing is adding to the amount owed on that card. You are then diving deeper into debt, and debt is the reason that you had to come to an agreement with the card issuing company in the first place - they WANT you to be deeper in debt as that is how they make their money, they couldn't care less about your plans to buy a house, improving your lot.
Cut up the bit of plastic and NEVER use it again, either to get money out of an ATM, or to buy anything.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Yes, I DO MIND.
I mind so much that I want to see you in a better house
I mind so much that I do NOT want to see you paying off card debts for many years to come.
I mind so much that I want to see you loosing weight.
I mind so much that I want to see your health improving.

Yes Vic, I do mind.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Come On, Come ON, COME ON.

S U P E R JOKER Zero Nine, has Got 'it' Going On.

He Gots 'It' Figured To four Decimal Points and Exact Time.

When He Asks, 'What do You Think', He 'is' Not Asking What You Would Do, if You Were Him.

S U P E R Joker ZERO Nine, Gots 'it' Figured. DO YOU DIG 'IT'?

Oh So Yep. to The Yup Max.

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Credit Karma(it's FREE)

That's a great website. I've used it for several years. They provide Transunion and Equifax's credit reports for free. It's a great way to keep an eye on things.

I use it as well. It makes me sad. ;-)

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~Sue~

Credit Karma(it's FREE)

Vic, thanx

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...not to mention car repairs and maintenance.
Like the driver's seat, dampers, tyres etc.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Car engine blows up? LOL I have premium motor oil(Royal Purple 5w30) in the low mileage 1999 Zetec 2.0L motor, she purrs like a kitten.

Ah Yes. I Had Plenty of 'Purring Like Kitten' Cars Over 15 Years Old.

Interesting how Engine Oil Seals-No Matter How Expensive and Tasty Motor Oil is and Miles Low-SEEM TO BLOW. You Know, LEAK LIKE mO fOs. Like 1-3 Quarts before One Gets Down Da Street.

'specially Treated So Nicely, 15 Plus Year Oldsters. And Cars in Constant HOT/COLD, COLD HOT Conditions-just sitting, UNUSED, go BAD. Hmmmmmmm.

Sure, Seals are a Couple Bucks and Easy to Change. ONCE YOU GET TO THEM.

Otherwise, BIG SMILE from Mech You Pay.

'Complications' What Are They?

Just Another Day in Paradise.

Mobile Home I Lived In has a Sticker dat Said: Built for 100 Mph Wind. Funny how so many wif dat Sticker Ended Toppled and Useless-'cept fO Parts.

I Yep, So Yup. I Do Both

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Those of us who are living on a limited fixed income, myself included, are the ones who can least afford to spend any of it on interest. Compound interest is evil. The last interest I paid was in 2009 when I paid off my 30 yr. mortgage in 15 yrs. I use my credit cards only if I have the cash to pay them off in the next billing cycle. The only time I have had to dip into savings was a few yrs. ago when I had the pleasure of a 5 figure dental experience. My point is don't spend money you don't have and you will end up with more money to spend.

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How old are you, Vic?

I ask because you keep saying, in so many words, "That won't happen
to me."

It might not. But it might.

Experience (which comes with age, usually) tells us that unexpected
expensive problems are right around the corner. I had to replace a
water heater ($800) that I thought was in good condition. I had to
replace an air conditioner ($600) that I thought was in good
condition. Sh*t happens. It's a fact of life.

Please don't tell me how great your water heater and air conditioner
are. That's not the point. The point is that something you don't
expect to break will break. Better to have some money set aside than
to have to borrow or use a credit card or do without, waiting for a
way to get it fixed.

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~Sue~

My cars tires are very good still, the seat is looking to be replaced in April, dampers? Must be shocks/struts, that would come from an Liheap application, which I qualify for, but I have to apply for, but only once a year.

Tyre will age, they get damaged by hitting things in the road, they get vandalised. You have significant reserve of cash, as opposed to increasing debt to cover replacing even one tyre.
Driver's seat. So in April you will be spending some money on your car. Right, is that money you actually have in your hand, or is it a debt that you are going to increase by spending on a credit card? (I think I know the answer)
Yes, shocks, struts. These have a nasty habit of wearing out with age rather than distance covered, and your car is now how old - anything over about six years is "living on borrowed time" as far as these components are concerned on a low-end car like your Ford. And Liheap is the "Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program", and I assume yo are talking about the California version of this program. Yeh, sure it will pay for new shocks on your car as they are part of your "Home Energy" expenditure. NOT. Unless you want to commit the fraud. A quick look at the LIHEAP website shows:

Program Description
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Block Grant is funded by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and provides two basic types of services. Eligible low-income persons, via local governmental and nonprofit organizations, can receive financial assistance to offset the costs of heating and/or cooling dwellings, and/or have their dwellings weatherized to make them more energy efficient. This is accomplished through these program components:

The Weatherization Program provides free weatherization services to improve the energy efficiency of homes, including attic insulation, weather stripping, minor housing repairs, and related energy conservation measures.
The Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) provides payments for weather-related or energy-related emergencies.

Don't be an idiot and get a record as what in the UK would be classified as a "Benefits Cheat".

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

How'd the seat break?

I had a charlie horse in one leg, a cramp, kind of hard to stand up in a moving car.

The seat is only partly broke, in the front, on one side.

Doubt it would happen again, as I pushed the seat back some after that.

The car a/c is only leaking and only under the dash, under the hood was fixed already.

Location? I dealt with places that sold insurance for mobile homes, like Progressive.

The AC is leaking under the dash? So you get to breath refridgeration gas while you drive? That's great for your health. How much is leaking? You have to fill up every summer? Don't take regridgerent gas lightly.

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[/quote]

Old James

Chris S said:

12-18 months ago Vic would have red x'd every post here and complained bitterly
to the mods to have it all shut down. Now? he has taken all comments with good
grace, listened to some, discounted others, and generally maintained a positive
outlook. Well done Vic, I am pleased to see it :-)

Three Words: Lady Friend Now. 12-18 months ago? Ah, what A Lady can do.

What Ladies have Done For Me, is Cost Me Money.

Bills paid Early become Bills paid at or near due date, or after. Bills paid Way Above Minimum, become Bills paid at Minimum.Way Below Limits, become At Limit or Over. Money in Checking/Savings Dwindle towards ZERO. Little gifts and treasures for me, become Big Gifts and Treasures for Her. House Hunting, becomes House Forgot.

Big Vic's 'Expert' 'Money' Management' can be Severely Tested, when a Lady Friend is now Part of The 'Equation'.

Budget Figured to Last Possible centavo, become...

Yup becomes Yep becomes @/&!?$$$!3\&*

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Three Words: Lady Friend Now. 12-18 months ago? Ah, what A Lady can do.

I don't think Vic has a lady friend.

What Ladies have Done For Me, is Cost Me Money.

Bills paid Early become Bills paid at or near due date, or after. Bills paid Way Above Minimum, become Bills paid at Minimum.Way Below Limits, become At Limit or Over. Money in Checking/Savings Dwindle towards ZERO. Little gifts and treasures for me, become Big Gifts and Treasures for Her. House Hunting, becomes House Forgot.

Big Vic's 'Expert' 'Money' Management' can be Severely Tested, when a Lady Friend is now Part of The 'Equation'.

Budget Figured to Last Possible centavo, become...

Yup becomes Yep becomes @/&!?$$$!3\&*

I think you need to pick your lady friends better. I could tell you the same story about my ex, but he wasn't a lady. Terrible terrible terrible with money. I would give him money to pay the bills and would only find out he 'forgot' when the gas or electricity was cut off.

Current husband is not so bad, but its better if I pay the bills if they need to be paid on time.

Now I am going to take him out to dinner because right now I have more money than he does. That's what partners do. He is still deciding where he wants to go.

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Reality Internet Personality

Plus I need to have the speedometer assembly replaced(the tach is flaky, I have the replacement bought already) and have an usb interface that I bought added to the back of the stereo in place of the connection to the mp3 cd-changer(the changer is dead) so that I can plug My smart phone in and play the music I have there over My car stereo speakers, both parts have been here for a bit, I do need to find that interface for the stereo.

I have a headphone jack aux in the front of my car radio. So using my smart phone is easy. No mp3-changer, but if I make a mp3 cd disc. It will play them. I am also happy the radio will read the directory of the mp3 disc. It acts like a mp3-changer for the mp3 disc.
I know a/c is not cheap to fix. I just finished paying out $800.00 getting mine fixed. I had the struts and bushings replaced for almost $1000.00. Now the next project to save up for is pads and rotors on the brakes. I have four wheel disc brakes. And before anyone asks. Yes I need new rotors. They cannot be turned again.
So don't let people get to you too much. You are not the only person who has to do some saving.

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How'd the seat break?

I had a charlie horse in one leg, a cramp, kind of hard to stand up in a moving car.

The seat is only partly broke, in the front, on one side.

Doubt it would happen again, as I pushed the seat back some after that.

The car a/c is only leaking and only under the dash, under the hood was fixed already.

Location? I dealt with places that sold insurance for mobile homes, like Progressive.

The AC is leaking under the dash? So you get to breath refrigeration gas while you drive? That's great for your health. How much is leaking? You have to fill up every summer? Don't take refrigerant gas lightly.

I was told at the time that was not somewhere the place could work on at the time, now I'm told they can work under the dash inside the passenger compartment, since they could not find a leak anymore under the hood, I doubt any refrigerant is in there anymore, if the air temp is warm enough outside the a/c will make the idle go up and down, in the winter this doesn't happen. Except for most of the winter I drive with the window open all the way down, since the a/c wasn't able to hold on to refrigerant for more than a couple of days, I don't even know what parts are needed to repair this or if they can be bought(new or used, it's a 1999), since Ford stopped making Escort zx2 parts in 2011(the last model Escort zx2 was a 2003). I have it on a list of things to do of course, so it's not like I won't do this, it's just not the right time right now, if I did work on the a/c now I'd have to use the credit card. I still have to replace the shocks/struts.

Plus I need to have the speedometer assembly replaced(the tach is flaky, I have the replacement bought already) and have an usb interface that I bought added to the back of the stereo in place of the connection to the mp3 cd-changer(the changer is dead) so that I can plug My smart phone in and play the music I have there over My car stereo speakers, both parts have been here for a bit, I do need to find that interface for the stereo.

Well if the gas leaks out in days you have a big leak. More than likely a bad hose. Or a bad compression fitting. Im leaning toward a bad hose. And that will cost to fix. I did some time working at Truck repair shop doing AC repair. I hated going into or under the dash. And cars are 100% worse working on.

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[/quote]

Old James

My stereo has no audio or usb, the thing has a cassette drive and has an interface for the CD changer, Fords CD changer would not read mp3 CD's, Audiovox, worked great for a while, now I'm lucky if it will play a track...

The cassette drive. Does it still work ok? If so, you could get a cassette adapter with a audio cord to plug into your smartphone.

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