More help to get credit working for you, and to realise your goal of making 2013 ‘Your Best Money Year’. I hope the skills you learn this year will change the way you handle money and credit for the rest of your life and significantly reduce the likelihood of copping bad credit history in the future.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repair and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

As a consumer advocate for accurate credit reporting, every day I speak on behalf of people who have issues with the way in which their good name has been placed in jeopardy through negative notations on their credit report.

The other passion I have, is to help consumers get a lot savvier with credit, whether that be from knowing the best way to deal with Creditors, to knowing the law, to knowing how to make credit work best for them. The latter, is I guess one of the best ways to ensure you are not blacklisted from credit through some fault of your own (although unfortunately mistakes do happen- and often – which can still see you get bad credit history even if you have paid all of your bills on time).

Last week I wrote a post: A New Year’s Resolution: Make 2013 Your Best Money Year Yet. One of the books on my recommended reading list was Paul Clitheroe’s Making Money. I saw a terrific article printed in the Noosa News written by Paul this week, titled ‘Get a handle on debt in 2013’. Here’s that article in its entirety:

Get a Handle on Debt in 2013

WELCOME to 2013 – a new year and the opportunity to make a fresh start. Chances are you made a resolution or two for the year ahead, and for plenty of Australians ‘getting out of debt’ topped the list of goals for 2013. We often make these resolutions in a spirit of bonhomie but with the right approach and a bit of work, it is possible to become and remain debt free – and the rewards are tremendous.

 Debt problems plague many Australians thanks to a range of factors including easy access to credit cards and a tendency to spend more than we earn. As a nation, our ratio of household debt to disposable income has almost quadrupled over the last 30 years. We also owe around $49 billion on credit cards, not a pretty picture.

The thing is, it’s not debt itself that is good or bad but rather the way we use it.

Like most people, without having taken on some debt, I doubt that I would own a house, a business and some assets, which will help me enjoy a comfortable retirement. It’s when we use debt to make purchases or no lasting value or to spend beyond our means that debt can become a real problem.

A key starting point in getting control of debt is to know exactly what you owe. You’d be surprised how many people don’t have a firm rein on their credit card balance or home loan.  Next, add up your monthly repayments and take a look at your budget to see if you could add a bit more to your credit card or mortgage repayments each month. It’s the single most effective way to pay off debt sooner.

If you’re constantly stretching your cash from one pay day to the next it’s time to draw up a personal spending budget. This will show how much you can afford to spend each week, fortnight or month once regular bills have been paid. Your budget will also highlight any spare cash you can use to make extra repayments on your outstanding debt.

It’s also important to check that you’re getting the best possible deal on your debts. Comparison websites like RateCity or Mozo can help you decide if you could save by switching to a cheaper credit card or home loan. Refinancing can lower your monthly repayments and using the savings to pay off your debt faster will see you save a bundle in overall interest charges.

Finally, think about adopting a new mindset – one that moves away from the ‘have it all now’ approach that I see used to flog anything from jewellery and cars to home furnishings.  Saving up for the things you want, and aiming to pay with cash wherever possible forces us to think twice before making impulse buys. It also means you won’t add hidden interest charges to the cost of your purchases.

Becoming debt free or at least minimising the amount of debt you have in your life is definitely something worth aiming for.

For some straightforward strategies that will help you clear your debt sooner, take a look at my new book ‘Free Yourself from Debt’.

Paul Clitheroe is a founding director of financial planning firm ipac, chairman of the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board and chief commentator for Money magazine. Visit www.paulsmoney.com.au for more information.

I hope there is something positive you can take from this article and use in your daily life. Stay tuned for more ideas on how to ‘make credit work for you’ this year.

For general information on issues which impact your ability to obtain credit visit the MyCRA Credit Repair website on www.mycra.com.au. If you would like more advice on your credit rating, including how to check your credit report for free, or how to order one urgently, contact one of our Credit Repair Advisors on 1300 667 218.

Image: Stuart Miles/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net