While some take a lackadaisical approach to finance, it’s better to be prepared than passive. Here are some golden money rules to live by:

Track what you spend. Rounding up or estimating what’s in the bank is a no-no. Know what you’ve got, where it’s going, and how to maximize it.

Be strict on yourself about what you actually need and what you want. People often confuse these! You do not “need” a $40 steak dinner, however, you need $40 in groceries.

Budget so that your salary isn’t all dedicated to bills. Everyone from minimum wage to six-figures can have management problems and fail to make ends meet.

Blame no one but yourself for financial hardship–people must adjust their spending to their circumstances. It’s not your boss’ fault if you can’t pay your bills.

Pay your taxes on time, and itemize whatever you can. Deductions may be small–but they add up!

For more advice on spending, saving, and getting out of debt–stick to the NWCDR blog for top notch money advice.

What are the ways that Americans tend to overspend? Read the following and catch yourself from succumbing to one of these tricks!

*Emotional spending. Emotions get in the way of smart decisions, and money is no exception. Channel your feelings into meditation or reading a good book–don’t let silly purchases wreck your financial health.

*Refinance your mortgage. With rates at an all time low, now is the time to try to renegotiate your mortgage. Just a few numbers off your interest can drastically change the amount you pay in the long haul.

*Invest in Education. A monthly stipend each month towards your child’s education will save you massive amounts of money by the time they are ready to go off to college. The accounts are also prorated to inflation so what you invest today will be calculated to pay for the same amount of education in 20 years, regardless of current tuition costs.

*Save for retirement. You never know what tomorrow will bring. Being prepared is not only smart, but it’s an essential part of survival.

Finances are a huge part of your day-to-day life, so why wait any longer to get a grip on them? Contact the financial professionals at NWCDR today for expert guidance and advice on navigating your debt.

A new novel has come out that aims to teach consumers how to leverage their financial means properly. In conjunction with a website, MyMoneyCircles.com, spenders go through a type of spending boot camp that strives to break dangerous spending habits and help spenders attain financial nirvana.

Best of all? The program is free! The scheduled program starts on January 9th and spans four weeks. While you can enroll after the 9th, it’s timed to progressively affect your habits based on the January 9th timetable. Each week will be themed, such as changes in spending habits that equal a bigger savings account, protecting your assets and your family, and even a profile of the best credit card offerings in 2012.

If you need real-time assistance on your financial matters, be sure to contact the South Florida credit experts of NWCDR.

Common New Year’s resolutions are nothing new–to lose weight, to spend less, to declutter. Too many resolutions can leave you spread too far, therefore not using as much motivation towards one goal as you should. This upcoming year, why not aim to get out of debt?!

Debt, for some, is like a disease. Mismanaged and out of control, interest piles up while payments slack off. Don’t let this be the case for you!

By enlisting the professional assistance of a credit counselor, you can consolidate bills, cut interest rates, and hack away at your balance in a timely manner. Envision your next new years day with less debt and on the path to living debt-free! Now…make that a reality!

The holidays are often stressful for many people, and for many reasons. Lack of financial preparation can but serious weight on your holiday agenda. Why not change the pattern this year?

Set aside money each week to go towards Christmas gifts. Research gifts and see when sales are, where it’s the cheapest, and when the best time to buy is. A little leg work could save you a lot of dollars in the end.

Keep in mind that around this time of the year, many stores offer promotions via the mail or e-mail. Simply signing up for a newsletter could garner you legitimate savings from stores that you planned to shop at anyway.

Remember, if the holidays, shopping, and debt are already too much for you to bear, it’s time to seek the financial expertise of a credit counselor. Contact the debt management experts at NWCDR to learn more.

There are many methods by which Americans attempt to get out of debt each year. Debt is an overwhelming epidemic–in fact, the average American has more than 5 credit cards with balances of $100+. Add in mortgages, car loans, and other expenses, and it’s easy to see how someone could slip into debt.

When it comes to paying the debt, however, there is debate on which method is best. Some people choose to pay off their lowest balance first, and disregard interest rates as a factor. Some people choose to pay double their minimums across the board. The important thing is that you truly put a dent in your debt and don’t slip back into piling interest.

If you can’t manage a payment plan on your own, contact the Florida debt consolidation firm NWCDR for expert help on your finances.

There are always new and developing programs and apps designed to help consumers manage their money better. However, using an organizational tool is only part of the responsible money management process. Here are some tips to help get your financial planning process kicked in to high gear.

Definitely embark down the road of a website or software to help organize accounts payable, accounts receivable, and also to break down your spending habits. When it comes to managing your money, naivete is the opposite of bliss.

Ditch the bad credit cards already! High interest rates and soaring APR are a vacuum for your bank account. Don’t put up with it anymore. Your card should be rewarding you for spending–if it isn’t, move it along.

Pay down your debts! Carrying a balance is not smiled upon, and it doesn’t help your score whatsoever.

Consider allocating budget normally spent on things (i.e. clothes) in exchange for experiences–great dinners, spa trips, vacations. These will make you feel fulfilled and provide you with more memories than a designer dress will.

If you need hands-on guidance with your money and need help getting out of debt, contact the professionals at NWCDR Florida credit counseling today.

By aggregating all of your accounts, your paychecks and your debts, HelloWallet is able to show you what you have in the bank, what you have left to pay for the month, and then what you have available to spend. No more guessing or balancing books-this app does it all for you.

Further, it breaks down how you spend–what you’ve spent on gas for the month, groceries, coffee, etc. It even tracks how much you spend at particular stores and businesses throughout the year so you know just how much your lunchtime paninis add up to over the year.

On average, users save about $300 in their budget within the first month. Check the iTunes app store for pricing information.

If you need help saving money each month, be sure to contact a financial adviser like those at Nationwide Consumer Debt Relief. We can help mitigate monthly payments and save you money–all while paying off your debt!

Credit card fraud is a common and expensive crime that affects thousands of people on a daily basis. Credit thieves have acquired such sophisticated methods of stealing, that your card may be safe in your pocket–but it’s being used elsewhere to buy all kinds of things.

Why’s it so easy to copy your card? Well, for one, the technology on credit cards (the magnetic strip) has been around since 1969. That’s four decades for crooks to figure out how to manipulate it. Skimmers are not an advanced piece of machinery either, they simply serve a purpose to copy & clone, and they’ve been doing it for years.

Back in the 1990s, the European Banks were sick of fraud. They introduced an EMV chip, which scrambles account information so that it isn’t easily copied. Combined with a PIN, the use of credit cards is less likely to be fraudulent.

The problem with upgrading the credit card doesn’t solely rely on the banks. Even if the cards get upgraded and equipped with new security chips, stores don’t have the technology to read them–so customers would still be subject to the swipe.

If you’ve had a problem with unresolved debt, or you simply have let your personal finances get out of control, contact the financial professionals at the debt consolidation firm of Florida, NWCDR.

About half of the United States consumer population plans to spend less this year than they did last year on holiday gifts. Inversely, only 10% plan to spend more. As more Americans become concerned about net worth, job stability, savings and other financial woes, the desire to spend more has simply hit the back burner.

However, the statistics following this year’s Black Friday tell a different tale. The average consumer spent just under $400, which was up about 9% from last year’s Black Friday spending.

Are you someone who plans to spend more or less this holiday season? Even further, are you someone who is lacking a holiday budget at all? Let the financial experts at NWCDR help consolidate your monthly expenses and get you on the path to living a life free from the burden of debt. Chat with a Florida credit counselor today!