Talk Credit Radio With Gerri Detweiler

Travis Pizel and his wife are paying off $109,000 of credit card debt. How? You'll find out when you listen to this inspiring and fascinating discussion with my guest. Listen to him share the story of how he came clean with his wife about their debt, and how they pulled together to dig out without declaring bankruptcy. This interview aired live October 13, 2012.

How are Millennials - those born around 1980 or later - going to get ahead? Many have crushing student loan debt and face financial challenges, such as looming federal debt, that make their futures very uncertain. But it's certainly not hopeless. Charissa Amanda Conanan, a chartered financial analyst and CEO of Smarteys.com, joins me to describe strategies for today'smillenials. This episode aired live December 1, 2012.

A single mom is threatened with arrest if she doesn't pay a payday loan debt right away. What can she do to protect herself? What happens if she is served with a lawsuit? Steve Rhode from Getoutofdebt.org joins me to discuss debt collection scams. This episode aired live December 1, 2012.

Carrie Rocha, founder of PocketYourDollars.com and her husband paid off $60,000 in non-mortgage debt in two and a half years. How did they do it? Carrie joins me to share their story and their strategies. If you're struggling with debt, you won't want to miss this one. This episode aired live October 6, 2012.

Your credit may affect the rate you pay for insurance, and that's unfair, says consumer advocate Birny Birnbaum with the Center for Economic Justice. He has been studying this issue for years and says that it hurts many consumers - including widows. Listen as he describes the problem as well as the "life exception" that may help some who think they are unfairly penalized. This episode aired live December 8, 2012.

If you are one of the millions of Americans who are underwater on your home, you may be wondering if you can - or should - walk away from your home. Jon Maddux, founder of YouWalkAway.com joins me to explain what it means to walk away from your home and what you need to know if you are considering this option. This episode aired live October 6, 2012.

You may have heard about reverse mortgages but you probably haven't heard the ins and outs of reverse mortgages like we cover them here. Learn about some of the popular myths about these loans, as well as some unique ways they are being used to help homeowners. Episode aired live September 8, 2012.

How did the American Dream turn into a nightmare for so many? Paul Kiel, an investigative journalist for ProPublica.org has been writing about the housing market collapse and the effects on homeowners. He joins me to explain what happened, and more importantly, to share what's being done to help those whose homes are at risk. This episode aired live Sept. 22, 2012.

Think you don't make enough money to need financial planning? Fee-only financial planner Joe Downs, CFP, and founder of Reality Financial Planning will share his down-to-earth advice. Joe's specialty is the "middle market" including teachers and government employees so he's no stranger to the challenges of financial planning facing the the middle class. He's got great advice for all of us! This episode aired live September 1, 2012.

Medical bill errors are an all-too-common problem. But it can be hard to spot them, and even harder to fix them. Medical billing error expert Katie Vahle of Copatient.com joins me to help us understand why billing mistakes happen and how to get help when you can't straighten them out yourself. This interview aired live on September 1, 2012.

When Benjamin Feldman got out of debt, he discovered five behaviors that helped him get out of debt - and can help you too! Feldman covers student loans and other personal finance topics for ReadyForZero, a free online website that helps people create a plan to get out of debt.This episode aired live September 22, 2012.

Learn how to make your own cleaning products, personal care products and more! Matt Jabs, founder of DIYNatural.com shares how easy it is to get started making your own products. He also shares the benefits, including better, safer ingredients and saving money. Learn how to make your own laundry soap, deodorant, toothpaste, all purpose cleaner and more! This episode aired live September 1, 2012.

Many of my listeners are Dave Ramsey fans, and with good reason. He provides some great information for getting on solid financial footing. But after you've reached that stage, what's next? My guest Todd Tressider of FinancialMentor.com joins me to share strategies for building wealth. You'll learn why trying to save or invest your way to wealth is so difficult, and how to wisely use leverage to help build wealth. And if your "plan" went to pot during the economic downturn, don't worry, He has advice for you too! This episode aired live September 29, 2012.

Learn how to make our financial life easier by going paperless! This is one of my goals. If you share it, you'll want to listen to this episode where I talk with DebtSmart.com founder Scott Bilker. He'll tell you step-by-step how to simplify by getting rid of all those stacks of paper and files. This episode aired live August 8, 2012.

Consumer Federation of America shares the top ten categories of consumer complaints. Guess what's near the top of the list? Credit rip-offs! Learn more specifically what types of scams consumers are falling for and other problems that so many people are facing today. Also learn how and where you can complain if you think you have been a victim. This episode aired live August 4, 2012

Do you have a student loan in default? What are your rights? How can you get out of debt if you can't catch up? What can the lender do to you if you can't pay? What if you are older and on Social Security or disability? Joshua R. I. Cohen, a.k.a. The Student Loan Lawyer, answers all these questions and more as he shares advice for dealing with defaulted student loans. This episode aired live on August 8, 2012.

If you are upside down on your home and you have a second mortgage you may be wondering whether you can settle the second for less than you owe. Debt settlement expert Charles Phelan joins me to explain how settling second mortgages work. You'll learn: What makes lenders willing to consider these deals; How low can you go? How it will affect your credit; and the hidden danger you need to watch out for. In the third part of the program, Charles shares his advice for negotiating deals on credit cards. Find out the one thing you absolutely must do before you settle a debt. Episode aired live August 11, 2012.

Social lending, aka P2P lending, is one of the hottest ways to borrow money - and to invest. Social lending expert Peter Renton joins me to share how a P2P loan can be a great way to consolidate debt and save money when you borrow. He's also share his track record investing in these loans, and why you may want to consider them for your investment portfolio. This episode aired live August 4, 2012.

Rich Dad's advisor and small business attorney Garrett Sutton shares insights from the second edition of his book, The ABC's of Getting Out of Debt and WInning with Credit. Learn what kind of borrower you are, and find out how some people are getting their credit back on track after the economic downturn. Episode aired live August 11, 2012.

How do credit scores really work? How are the created? How often are the updated? And how do they decide what goes into them? In this interview credit scoring expert Barry Paperno explains the basics of how credit scores are created. If your goal is better credit, you won't want to miss this important overview. Episode aired live September 8, 2012.