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	<title>SettlementMax - Financial Freedom&#187; Debts that are impacting our quality of life  &#8211; SettlementMax &#8211; Financial Freedom</title>
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		<title>Debts that are impacting our quality of life</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/debts-impacting-quality-life/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/debts-impacting-quality-life/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:39:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=353</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Debts that are impacting our quality of life can cause grief among us.  Unless a serious problem is at steak, most people fail to contain and reduce debt or even learn how to do so.  A number of people that choose not to admit their debt problem for a long time end up regretting it. 

Most people don’t want any advice at all, nor do they admit that they have any sort of problem.  Debtors often don’t think it is serious enough of a problem to seek advice.  A lot of people believe that it is solely their fault and that they should deal with the problem themselves
]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 lies that got you (and keep you) in credit card debt</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/10-lies-keep-credit-card-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/10-lies-keep-credit-card-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:56:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=89</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Although we don't have credit card debt now, except for 0% APR balance transfers, there were times that we did. We never let our credit cards get completely out of control although we did build up thousands of dollars on our credit cards when I first got out of college...

]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Credit Card Rules Changing</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-card-rules-changing/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-card-rules-changing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:54:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relevant Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ATM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cards]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=746</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[New credit card rules could mean a tough time getting a new Visa or MasterCard.

The tighter credit card rules imposed by Congress -- mixed with a nation swimming in debt -- mean credit card companies and banks will become more picky in selecting their card holders, says Valley credit counselor Dean Wegner.

"Right now, they're looking for quality vs. quantity, going into 2010," Wegner said.

People getting cards should not expect as many perks as in the past, he said.]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>How Americans Got into a Credit-Card Mess</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/americans-credit-card-mess/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/americans-credit-card-mess/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:55:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[american]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=559</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Americans have a long, sordid history with borrowed money. In Collateral Damaged: The Marketing of Consumer Debt to America, Charles Geisst, a professor of finance at Manhattan College, takes us through the centuries to explain how we wound up at our most recent — and spectacular — credit bubble. TIME's Barbara Kiviat spoke with him

You write that one of the major myths about American society is that we 
]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How Did We End Up In Debt?</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/up-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/up-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:56:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=331</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In the past, it was simply too easy for consumers to obtain credit.  Because credit was so easy to get, consumers figured out how to leverage their credit card rewards and balance transfer cards in order to make money. Many tried to perform credit card arbitrage by taking out cash advances and balance transfers from these cards, then investing the amounts into a rising stock market. This was one of those things you'd consider to be a "sign of the times." Of course, things are different today, but the 2000s was a ...]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Banks Are Jacking Up Interest Rates, Penalties And Fees</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/banks-are-jacking-up-interest-rates-penalties-and-fees/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/banks-are-jacking-up-interest-rates-penalties-and-fees/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:45:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=326</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Before a new law of reforms becomes effective in February of 2010, Credit card companies are raising interest rates, penalties and fees. As of July, interest rates spiked an average of 20% across the board from December 2008 with some issuers raising the interest rates 30 and even 50 percent. When the Pew Health Group [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Debt is Common</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/debt-common/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/debt-common/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:36:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=273</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Millions of people all over the world are facing the problem of having too much debt.  Eliminating these debts is not an easy task. However, there are various strategies you can use to eliminate ...]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>The Financial Journey of the Average American</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/financial-journey-average-american/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/financial-journey-average-american/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:56:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=152</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The first payment-based debt for the average American gets incurred while still in high school. Interest rates on department store cards can be as staggering as 33%. Target is in the top 10 issuers of credit cards. Over 173 Million Americans own at least one credit card. The average rate for standard bank credit cards [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>The Story of Credit Card Hell – An American Perspective</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/story-credit-card-hell-american-perspective/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/story-credit-card-hell-american-perspective/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:30:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=140</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You pay your credit card off every month, but happened to miss an auto loan or an electric bill payment.  A single late payment on your credit report can trigger a rate increase.  It is called Universal Default.
0% APR is great, but ...]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Lifetime of debt</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/lifetime-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/lifetime-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:57:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=127</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A Lifetime of Debt .]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>The Amount Of National Debt By Country</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/national-debt-country/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/national-debt-country/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:48:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=110</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[]]></description>
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		<title>Living In Credit Card Hell</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-card-hell/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-card-hell/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:47:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=113</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-card-hell/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>U.S. Debt &#8211; $65 Trillion</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/u-s-debt-65-trillion/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/u-s-debt-65-trillion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:29:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit cards]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[debt relief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt settlement]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[spend]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[unemployed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unemployment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=93</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The total liabilities of the United States government, including future social security and medicare payments that the U.S. government is already committed to pay out, now exceed 65 trillion dollars, which is more than the entire GDP of the whole world.

]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/u-s-debt-65-trillion/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seniors &#8211; credit card debt</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/seniors-racking-credit-card-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/seniors-racking-credit-card-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:42:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt settlement]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[managing]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[money management]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[payments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plan]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[relief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retired]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seniors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[settlement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Settlementmax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spend]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=87</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Seniors racking up credit card debt
Here's a statistic that should give us all pause: The average credit card debt of seniors grew by 26% between 2005 and 2008, CreditCards.com reports. For the rest of us, the increase was a comparatively modest 3%
]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/seniors-racking-credit-card-debt/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Top 5 reasons why people go get into debt</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/5-reasons-people-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/5-reasons-people-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:36:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt settlement]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[finances]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[financial]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[household]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[list]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[manage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[managing]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[top]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[top 5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unemployed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unemployment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=33</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Excessive spending - With easy availability of credit over the past decade, the spending habits of Americans have skyrocketed. The old days of paying for something with cash are long gone and we now live in a society that borrows money to buy goods and services.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/5-reasons-people-debt/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Debt Poll &#8211; What is your current debt load?</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/current-debt-load/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/current-debt-load/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:38:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Polls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bills]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[credit card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt relief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt settlement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finances]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[financial]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[manage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[managing]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Settlementmax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spend]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unemployed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unemployment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=17</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Debt Poll - What is your current debt load?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/current-debt-load/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Free Credit Report &#8211; Everyone can request a free yearly credit report</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-report/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-report/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:49:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relevant Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[financial]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[manage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[managing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[unemployment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=13</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do you know you're entitled to a free yearly credit report for all three credit reporting agencies?   There is a free website you can visit to request this free credit report once a year. At SettlementMax, we strongly encourage our clients to take advantage of this free valuable service.  ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/credit-report/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Understanding your finances is the first step you need to take to become financially independent</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/understanding-finances-first-step-become-financially-independant/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/understanding-finances-first-step-become-financially-independant/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:31:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Quick Facts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt relief]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[financial]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[managing]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[spend]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[unemployed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unemployment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=8</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Most people spend more time managing company finances than their own personal finances.  Why is this?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/understanding-finances-first-step-become-financially-independant/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The average american has between $30,000 and $40,000 in outstanding credit card debt.  How about you?</title>
		<link>http://settlementmax.com/blog/average-american-between-30000-40000-outstanding-credit-card-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://settlementmax.com/blog/average-american-between-30000-40000-outstanding-credit-card-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:33:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Power User</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relevant Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[credit cards]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[unemployment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://settlementmax.com/blog/?p=5</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You are not alone. Banks have been given the ability to charge excessive interest rates, late fees and this has fed their cash cow, us the consumers. Trying to put it in the back of your mind and ignore it is not the right solution. Take action and explore all your different options before you start your journey to financial freedom.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://settlementmax.com/blog/average-american-between-30000-40000-outstanding-credit-card-debt/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
