Did you ever imagine what it would be like if cameras filmed you as you overcome your debt problems? Envision creating your own documentary that may help others in the same situation. These are some episodes that may be included in 6-week documentary series.

1. Volume 5 #2
Your Debt Documentary
Can You Lower Your Property Tax?
Spare Change • Living Longer on Less
Inspiring Thoughts • FDR Client Reminders
Welcome to the Freedom Debt Relief monthly newsletter! As part of our
ongoing goal to enhance our services, we will be sending you a monthly
newsletter filled with interesting articles and helpful financial tips and
1-800-655-6303 advice. We hope you enjoy this issue, and that you find the enclosed
information helpful as you continue on the road to financial freedom.
Your Debt Documentary: Week 5: Earn money by using your
talents. If you are employed, the majority of
Be a Money
your documentary may be filmed at your job.
One way to earn extra income to fund your
reserve account is to work overtime or a second
Management Star
job if it fits into your schedule. Certain skills
such as programming, writing, or data entry may
help you earn money doing freelance work or
H H H H H H short-term assignments.
Week 6: Show your results. On your
D
id you ever imagine what it would Try calling your utility company and ask for a last episode, you can show your fans how much
be like if cameras filmed you as more convenient due date. Settling your debts your situation may have improved. Although
you overcome your debt problems? is usually not an easy goal to accomplish. But, debt problems are usually not solved in six
Envision creating your own documentary that it is possible. Although you may feel like giving weeks, viewers can see how many good money-
may help others in the same situation. Below are up, try to stay focused on your ultimate goal of management skills you have acquired. One
some episodes that may be included in 6-week becoming debt-free. way to continue your progress is to focus on
documentary series. educating yourself about personal finance. Tell
your viewers to visit educational money sites
Week 3: Avoid temptation. People that such as www.bankrate.com, www.dolans.com,
Week 1: Don’t let creditors get the are tackling debt problems may be faced with
or one of the web sites listed below. You can also
best of you. If cameras were filming you on a constant temptation. Your documentary can
find many helpful tips in this monthly newsletter
daily basis, they may see you lose your temper show viewers that you are able to avoid the
and borrow books about personal finance at your
with a collector. Although persistent collectors allure of a great sale or a buying the next latest
local library.
may give you a reason to get upset, yelling and gadget. Merchants make it especially difficult
screaming may only create more stress for you. to avoid temptation in the current state of the
Some creditors want to “press your buttons” so economy. Many stores are eager for consumers
you will become annoyed and pay your bill. If to spend money, so you may see enticing sales
your caller identification shows that it may be a at many retailers. Unless you have a planned
collector, we recommend that you do not answer purchase, try to ignore stores that are having
the phone to avoid starting a dialogue with a “sale of a century.” Grocery stores also have
them. Collectors do have to abide by the laws of many marketing ploys that can make you sway
the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). from your list. Be careful of convenient online Helpful WEb Link
Contact your debt negotiation company if you shopping sites. It is easy to add more items to
feel a collector was out of line. your shopping cart with a few mouse clicks.
Week 2: Never give up. You may Week 4: Fix your financial house.
experience tough Many popular television shows focus on
challenges as you renovating, cleaning,
and organizing homes.
ü www.Livingonadime.com: The
strive to overcome motto of this web site is “Making the
your debt problems. A Demonstrate to Most of What You Have.” You can
documentary of your your viewers in your find many money-saving tips on basic
day-to-day life may documentary how these household expenses.
show how you handle ideas relate to your
finances. Keep your bills
an unexpected expense
or how you manage a organized with financial
ü
www.Smartmoneytips.com:
In addition to helpful articles about
dwindling bank account software or a filing system.
personal finance, you can also take a
when payday is still a Track expenses and review
“Financial Fitness Quiz” and access a
week away. Viewers your budget to see if you
budget calculator.
may see your stress and can eliminate financial
frustration, but also how “clutter.” For example, do
you can conquer these you use your debit card a ü
www.choosetosave.org: This
lot for dining out or for site is sponsored by the Employee
dilemmas. For example,
small purchases? Are you Benefit Research Institute and includes
use the food in your
able to reduce your cable approximately 100 online calculators
cabinets before buying a
or cell phone bill? and a variety of money-saving tips.
new order of groceries.

2. Can you lower
your property
tax?
Client Reminders
G
lobal Insight, a company that for your local community. Some counties and
analyzes and forecasts economic municipalities offer online databases of property
trends, states that U.S. home prices records.
View your account online. Did you fell at a fast pace during the end of 2008,
know that you can view your FDR program according to a study entitled, “Home Prices Verify your home’s description. Once
overview online by visiting www.fdrclient. in America.” Because of the rapidly declining you obtain a copy of your property assessment,
com? If you have not yet created a username prices of homes, the housing market is now ensure that all of the information is correct.
and password, just follow the instructions undervalued. This data may According to AHA, many
on the screen. All clients also have access to not be a positive step for the property tax assessment errors
FDR’s free educational and financial literacy economy, but consumers that are clerical. Appraisers are
tools at www.freedomdebtrelief.com/clients. live in areas that have been usually on strict deadlines to
affected by the housing crisis assess many homes in a short
php. Both the username and password for
may be able to reduce their amount of time and they also
this information is “FDR”. property taxes. Below are some do not go inside of your home.
steps to take if you want to So, simple mistakes can happen.
Contact Info: Have you moved question the value of your home. For example, make sure your
recently or changed your phone number? assessment lists the correct
Please contact customer service to ensure we Do your homework. number of bedrooms, square
have all of your updated information. Appealing your home’s value footage, and age of the home.
may require you to spend time Misrepresentation of these
Tax Debt? If you owe money to the doing some research. It may factors can affect the value of
be worth the effort because your home.
IRS and would like information on how
the National Taxpayers Union
to reduce your tax debts, please contact estimates that as many as 60% File an appeal. If your
our sister company, Freedom Tax Relief at of all homes are over-assessed assessment does not contain
1-800-455-6TAX. Our tax attorneys and and not in line with their any errors, you can still dispute
tax specialists are eager to immediately start actual value. Despite this fact, only one in 50 the value of your home. Inquire at the assessor’s
helping you resolve your tax troubles. In homeowners tries to appeal assessments. You can office about how to appeal a property tax
addition, existing FDR clients are eligible for begin your research by obtaining a copy of your assessment. The process may vary among local
a $100 referral bonus if they refer someone assessment records from your local assessor’s communities. In most cases, you will have to
to Freedom Tax Relief. office. The American Homeowner’s Association do more research, which may involve gathering
(AHA) reminds homeowners that The Freedom data on comparable properties in your area.
*** of Information Act entitles homeowners to have According to Consumer Affairs.com, it may
Customer Service Phone No: access to all documents regarding their property. help you to seek the advice of a real estate agent
You may be asked to show proof of ownership or attorney to obtain the evidence that you
1-800-655-6303 to view the records. Try visiting the web site need.
FAX No: 650-393-6800
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Thurs: 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. PST
Fri: 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PST
Sat: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PST
E-mail:
support@freedomdebtrelief.com
Google Docs (http://docs.google.com): If these materials are absolutely free. You can
you have a free Google e-mail account, you not earn a degree or college credit, but it is a
can also use Google Docs. This tool may be great opportunity to expand your mind about
We want able to handle your basic word processing subjects that interest you.
and spreadsheet tasks. It is accessible on the
your Web and it may save you from purchasing Podcasts (www.itunes.com): Podcasts could
ideas!
expensive software. be described as the modern-day version of
educational radio shows. You can download the
What do you want to MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit. Itunes program for free at www.itunes.com and
edu): OCW is MIT’s ambitious program to subscribe to an unlimited number of podcasts
see in the newsletter? share course materials, which including syllabi, on a variety of topics. You do not need to own
We welcome your lecture notes, assignments and exams from an Ipod or purchase anything from Itunes in
input. E-mail your about 1800 of the Institute’s classes. All of order to subscribe to the podcasts.
ideas to info@pifff.org.

3. bank account. Using a technique known as midst of another tax season, consumer advocates
skimming, they set up equipment that captures at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)
magnetic stripe and keypad information when are warning taxpayers to steer clear of refund
you put in your PIN at ATM machines, gas anticipation loans (RALs). New figures reveal
pumps, restaurants, and retailers. The editors of that RALs drained the refunds of 8.67 million
Consumer Reports Money Adviser offer three American taxpayers in 2007 (the latest year
tips on how you can protect yourself: recorded), costing them $833 million in loan
fees, plus over $68 million in other fees. RALs
• Don’t type in your PIN at the pump. Gas are bank loans secured by the taxpayer’s expected
pumps are notorious for skimming because refund and the loans last about 7-14 days until
they’re produced by only a couple of different the actual IRS refund repays the loan. According
manufacturers. If you must use a debit card, to the NCLC, that is a good indication of just
choose the screen prompt that identifies it as how needless most RALs are. Most taxpayers
a credit card so you don’t have to type in your could have their refund in approximately two
PIN. weeks if they file electronically or have their
• Stick with ATMs located at banks. Use refund deposited directly into a bank account.
machines at banks rather than in convenience
stores or any other isolated locations. A Speak out against overdraft fees. The
thief has to be able to attach and retrieve a Federal Reserve Board is asking consumers what
skimming device to see the data gathered, they think of overdraft fees. The public has until
and that’s more likely to happen in non- a March 30 deadline to tell banking regulators
News, financial tips, and other bank settings where there’s less traffic and no whether a) banks should be required to let
information regarding personal surveillance cameras. customers “opt in” to these overdraft programs or
b) be allowed to continue automatically signing
financial freedom • Closely monitor your bank accounts. Federal them up. The Center for Responsible Lending
law limits your liability for fraudulent debit- website has more information on overdraft fees
Protect your debit card from thieves. card charges to $50, but only if you report the and provides an easy way to comment to the
As economic conditions have worsened, there’s theft or loss of your card or PIN within two Fed: http://ga3.org/campaign/no_gotcha_fees.To
a noticeable increase in all types of card fraud. business days of discovering the problem. comment to the Federal Reserve Board directly,
People who create counterfeit ATM or debit send an email to regs.comments@federalreserve.
cards by stealing your PIN and other account gov. Note that the subject line MUST include
Avoid refund anticipation loans. In the
data can simply pull cold cash from your “Docket No. R-1343.”
Living Longer
on Less
A
ccording to a recent study from the always available for expenses such as hotel rooms,
Senior Economic Security Index, 1 in plane tickets, and bus fare. You may also contact
3 senior households has no money left your utility company if you are having trouble
over after meeting essential expenses. Seniors paying your utility bills. Your state may offer
experience financial problems primarily due special low-income programs for seniors.
to the cost of assisted living facilities, medical For discounts on prescription drugs, contact
expenses, housing costs, and dwindling the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA).
retirement funds. If you are a senior citizen that Eligible participations will usually receive low
is in a tight money situation, or you know of one cost or free prescriptions. For more details, visit
who is, keep the following suggestions in mind. www.pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW.
Research organizations and Beware of scams. The Office of Act of 2009. This legislation will offer a $250
government agencies. Many organizations Community Oriented Policing Services reports economic recovery payment for individual older
assist the elderly in many aspects of their that the elderly population easily become victims persons and $500 for couples. According to the
life. The Administration on Aging (AOA), a of a number of schemes. Common financial web site for the Social Security Administration,
division of the U.S. Department of Health and crimes against the elderly usually involve recipients will not have to do anything. Funds
Human Services, helps seniors maintain their home repairs, investments, telemarketing, false will be delivered in the same method that they
independence by offering coordinated home and charitable contributions, sweepstakes, and lottery receive Social Security benefits. Retirees who
community-based long-term care. Visit www. schemes. Seniors should be very wary about do not receive Social Security may also qualify,
aoa.gov for more information. The American divulging financial information over the phone but may have to file a tax return. Payments are
Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is the or online. If the deal sounds too good to be true, expected to be disbursed in late May. Visit the
leading non-profit organization for people age it probably is. You may file a complaint with the Social Security Administration’s web site at www.
50 and older. Their web site offers a wealth of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.ftc.gov ssa.gov/payment for more information.
information to help the elderly population. Visit if you feel you or someone you know has been a The unemployed may also receive an
www.aarp.org to read about pertinent issues such victim of a scam. extension and an increase in benefits as part of
as Medicare and Social Security. the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act..
Take advantage of the recent stimulus. According to AARP, the number of unemployed
Take advantage of discounts and Older Americans may see some benefits as part aged 55 and older has risen 65% during the past
special programs. Senior discounts are almost of the American Recovery and Reinvestment twelve months.

4. your stress levels while you strive to settle your healthy ways to control anger, visit www.
debts. avoidingangerandstress.com.
Get a good night’s sleep. The Better Establish an exercise routine. According
Sleep Council reports that 65% of Americans to the American Council on Exercise (www.
are losing sleep due to stress and 16% claim that acefitness.org), physical activity can help relieve
worrying about personal finances is keeping some symptoms of stress, especially during
them awake. Consider improving your sleep tough times. For example, exercise may help
habits by going to bed the same time each night you feel less anxious and encourage you to eat
and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine and better. An exercise regimen does not mean that
nicotine a few hours before bedtime. For more you have to purchase expensive equipment or a
tips on better sleep, visit www.bettersleep.org and gym membership. Consider walking in the park
www.sleepfoundation.org. or around your neighborhood. If you prefer to
exercise with friends, consider forming a walking
Manage your anger. Collection agencies group. Contact your local community college or
are calling repeatedly. You just received your recreational center to find out if they offer any
paycheck and barely have enough left after low-cost yoga or aerobic classes.
paying the mortgage and utilities. Pipes in your
bathroom are leaking and you are trying to
find some available funds to hire a professional
Learn to say “no.” As you work towards
settling your debts, your may choose to take on a
plumber. On top of all of these financial woes,
busy schedule. You may decide to work a second
Inspiring Thoughts your child just informed you that they need
money for a field trip tomorrow! One stressful
job or volunteer for many overtime hours.
Although these actions show that you have a
problem after another can oftentimes result in
good work ethic and that you are dedicated,
angry outbursts. According to the American
A
working constantly may cause additional
s you may know, debt can have an Psychological Association, excessive anger can
stress and may affect other aspects of your life.
impact on your financial life. However, cause high blood pressure and depression. Anger
Consider setting limits in order to maintain your
you may not realize how much this is a natural human emotion that should be
busy schedule. Over a period of time, excessive
problem can affect your health. According to expressed constructively. If you feel as though
stress may cause burnout and make you become
WebMD (www.webmd.com), an online health you are going to lose your temper, try counting
unproductive because you are so mentally and
resource, worrying about debt over time can to ten or removing yourself from the situation
physically exhausted. Commend yourself for
lead to stress-related illnesses such as high blood to collect your thoughts. Writing down your
making the effort to become debt-free, but also
pressure, diabetes, migraines, and heart disease. thoughts in a journal may also help you release
remember to take some time for you.
Below are some ways that can help you reduce your anger in a non-violent way. For other
The Freedom Debt Relief newsletter is published by The Premier Institute for Financial Freedom. While articles in this newsletter are factual and accurate, they are not intended to replace the advice of professional financial,
accounting, and/or legal advisers. As with all decisions regarding your finances, the advice, techniques, ideas and suggestions offered herein should be followed under the supervision of the appropriate competent professional.
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