FFS stuff - credit game

The Credit Card Game - Part I - Basics

This juicy game.
It's using someone else's money to buy or pay for something and paying them back later.
Sometimes you have to pay them back what you borrowed, plus interest for the time it took you to pay it back.
Sometimes they charge you a fee to even use their card. Usually once a year.
If you are using it for a balance transfer, they will charge a transfer fee which is around 3-5% of the balance transfer.
Many times you get benefits and/or extra cool things for using their card. Cash back, airline miles, free stuff at the corresponding store, discounts, waived interest fees, special coupons, etc.

Most everything is plain and simple and laid out. There's really no confusing factors about how your card works and what they expect from you, and what you expect from them. Simple, because the more people who understand, the more customers they get! User friendly is the name of the game!

They set you up with a credit limit, often based on the income level you provided them when you signed up or applied for the card. If you bring in $10k yr....you most likely will be declined. If you say $30k, your credit limit often ranges around $1k-5k, higher income levels get approved for higher credit limits.
They don't want customers to default and not pay their bills, so they want reputable people.
They will do a credit check which includes looking at your past loans/balances/financial performance.
This helps them determine if you are trustworthy for them to give you credit.

If you already have high balances or were late on any credit reporting loan, card, or mortgage, you often will be declined. They don't want to offer more credit to someone who isn't financially prepared to handle more.
   ***  If you are already behind - this is when you work on repairing your credit IF you intend to use this system in the future. Most negative hits of being late will fade from your report in 2 years. If you have a default it stays until it's paid and/or cleared. (Even if it was a false or fraudulent charge! Your attorneys are slow, so don't hope it will be fixed overnight, but certainly get on the ball about having it removed.)
--- You can see your own credit report for FREE (even without sharing any payment info many sites ask for)  -- I have used  -- Annualcreditreport.com -- it is free and they don't ask for money or pay info.

____
Once you begin to use your credit, it starts to build a report that gives creditors information on whether you are handling your credit wisely. If you get a card and never use it, they don't care about you. If you use it and pay it off all the time, you are one of their favorite people....even if you never have to pay them interest fees. They still want you as a customer.

Remember, the companies aren't all out to get interest and charges and people paying them. (Yes, they are) but they also need reputable customers to pay on time so they have circulating use/supply/base.
Even those who pay on time every time will occasionally need to pay interest for a month or two. No big deal.
The more savvy you are at being responsible, the more they 'care' about you, and they often won't hesitate to offer you more credit. So your $3k card is now $5k, and 6 months later it might be $8k
...and a year later if all else looks good, they could up you to $12k if your income is in line with that.

You'll also get about 10 other offers in the mail every week.
The trick is to ignore them.

*** Only use the card(s) that you are enjoying. That are easy to work with. That have some sense of friendly customer support, and has the benefits you are benefiting from.
              (My favs are Citi (they have offered me higher credit limits, and always offer balance transfers for 0% for 18mo or more) and Bank of America (cause they will send cash to my bank account with a balance transfer and not only to a company/loan/card like most everyone else.)
            
If you pay for a cruise with your Old Navy card, be prepared to have $300 in Old Navy bucks....which is great until you don't need any more damn clothes.
If you spend $500 on your Lowe's card for a new water heater, they aren't going to be nice and send you a coupon or give you anything but 5% off or 6mo no interest... lame.
If you paid for that same water heater with your Amazon Prime card, you'd get about $50 or so in Amazon cash.... so technically it's a better deal if you plan to pay it off before interest hits.

Be aware of what they are charging you! Some companies charge upwards of 29% interest! OUCH!
  Better to choke on a log.
Some are only 12%, so that's at least better if you have to carry a balance for a few months before you can pay it off.
Capitol One once had a card that was 0% for 3 months on all purchases....that was a great thing until they closed that program down. (They are my least favorite company, fyi)

So know what you are using, who you are playing with, what they are getting out of you, what you are getting out of the deal, and make sure you are playing the game with sensibility, and not doing it 'because you have to'.
Close cards that feel like shit or treat you like shit.
Hold onto those that feel light and free and are easily supported by your income level.
   ** If you have 5 cards with $30k in credit and you only make $20k yr.... and you struggle to maintain your finances, it's better to cut those back to half $10-15k so you don't dig yourself in a hole you may carry for decades. I'm not even joking. Credit card companies are not your mortgage or marriage! They are more like romantic flings. Use them when you need, get your benefits, and then make them to sit and wait until next time.

The credit card companies are only you're friend, until you're not. If you fuck up, they know about it.
If you're late on a payment, they know about it. If you are late twice or over extend your credit, they will cut you.
They may give you grace the first time, cause sometimes you thought the payment went through, but it didn't....and it does happen.... but once you get 'marked' as a repeat offender...game over.

_________________________________


__________________________________________

The Credit Card Game - Part II - Debt and it's Dog

Some of us have debt.
Sometimes it is things we can handle, sometimes, not so much.
Often times it takes forever to get cleared.
Other times, it doesn't move, or it moves higher.

This doesn't mean anyone is out there buying $8000 dining tables and eating off sterling silver plates.
It could, but the majority of those who carry debt is because their income rarely catches up to their needs.
Many times it could simply be the car insurance, the health insurance, the tires you had to buy because you have children and a bald tires are fucking dangerous. Things you got to have or you're leaving the door open for possibly worse things.
THIS is why noone should ever judge someone else's story about money or debt.

No matter how we got it...it's all about the now. Now it's here, let's handle it.

Throw it out there on the table. Know what it is, how much it is, how much you have to pay every month, the interest rate, or when the interest rate will hit, and the invoice dates.
Easy, just look at it. Not always enjoyable, but we have to know what we are dealing with.

* There's the whole tried method of looking at it all, estimating your income and debts, and doing it the mathematical way.
Must pays first. Housing, food, car, gas, utilities.
Then the other shit, in order of importance. Blah blah blah...
But often the energy doing it that way carries the energy of trying to stretch funds, lack, struggle, worry, overwhelm, more lack, sadness, no freedom, and not taking one fucking look at yourself or who you fucking are.
Let's put all the energy into this crap thing and hope it goes away, gets fixed, or feels better....
Please.
How many times have you done this?
Sometimes it does work, it does make 'sense', it can be an easy fix....
every other time...it never really is. It just proves to you that you still have things you don't want.

Try throwing you all on the table instead.
This debt here...helped me replace the water heater. We have hot water. I like hot showers and clean dishes. This debt put new tires on the car. My children ride in that car. I get to work in that car.
These things helped me. I'm appreciative of the needs being met when I needed them.
I get to pay the house payment. I love having a warm safe place to live.
The electricity is da bomb, how useful can it get!
Full tank of gas, cause we are blessed.
Food for my family. Don't tell anyone, but I kinda like spaghetti night the best. Oh wait...homemade tacos, nevermind.
I really want to pay the Amazon card first, cause they are my favorite card...and I already have $300 in amazon cash stored up to use for Christmas shopping....and I like not having to worry about the holidays and keeping up with the Kardashians. Actually, I really appreciate the boxes I get from my shipments too....the kids and the cats always liked them best anyways. We could make an elf house!
Oh yeah...that card I had to put my car insurance on, I can't pay it all off, but I will make the minimum. I'm glad I had it when I needed it. I might even add an extra $10...
I know I should put some back to save...and there's not much left...but I know that it'll be there whenever I may need it. It is safe to store anywhere I please, even in the checking account or in my pocket.
My check will be smaller next month, what are we.... ... no... actually, I can handle everyfuckingthing that comes up, whenever it comes up. Being in the place we are right now, feels good, so right now is good. I will stay here.
Feeling cute, might even pick up a chocolate shake later.

____________

The point is... if you constantly find yourself in the energy of shit over debt or money....
you become the dog of the system.
The dog does what the master says.
The dog looks to the master for it's needs.
The dog is afraid to make the master angry and often times works for the master to make them happy.

But you are the one in control!
You are the master.
That credit should be pleasing you to have the credit to even use.
Those debts should be relevant in having a hand in benefiting you.
No matter what pricetags are attached, you have complete control over the emotions and energy you reflect from them.
You can move one shitty feeling over the debt into a feeling of appreciation or at least calmness.
You can take control of all your energy. Your thoughts and emotions...
And you can step back from the cage and see yourself as the keymaster.

*** Listen up.... there's no excuses here about choosing to feel like shit every time you look at money.
 (((((In my personal experience, we had an injury to the breadwinner, an eventually the loss of the job, we were without a real income for 2 years. 2 YEARS, yo! We used those fucking credit cards like eating Doritos.
We went on government assistance, we borrowed from family for the mortgage because Well Fargo, no matter what shit they tell you, will NOT help you out. We maintained what normalcy we could for the kids, we kept them in their activities, although less of them. I tried to take on a 'job'...like 3 times... and quit relatively soon after because they were costing us more financially and emotionally to keep them.
We still paid everyfuckingthing and racked up some wonderous incredible amount of credit card debt and family debt too... it was like holiday lights on a tree...20 strands...at least...very pretty and a bit blinding....probably a huge fire hazard too.
But what broke through was just letting go of the struggle and allowing the flow.
I even got fed up oneday and booked a trip for a 'fuck this bullshit' vacation. Paid the minimum downpayment with a credit card.
Cause I wasn't going to feel fucking bad for any of it. IT was shitty but I wasn't going to be.
We just let all the the shitshow happen and then it fixed itself when we fixed ourselves. Money came in 2 months before that vacation. We cleared the main debts and caught up on things that had to go by the wayside.
We still have some debt though. We still owe family. But everything is without interest.
I could have paid it off with those stimulus checks last year...but I started to invest instead....cause it felt better. I made the money back twice since then in stocks/crypto alone...and although I still haven't decided to just pay off the debts (they are still 0% interest mind you so they aren't costing me anything to carry)... I could. There's not one fucking thing that I can trust besides myself and how I feel about it all.
The world can go to shit tomorrow and forever and I(we) will still be A-okay and probably bring in twice as much income....cause when the economy crashes, we actually do better...it's weird, idk exactly how that works out. Maybe because we work outside the system.

That system is my dog. I tell it when to bring me the quarry. I tell it what benefits I need and use it accordingly. If I need a plane ticket, I know which card to use to pay my car insurance, so I can get a free ticket. I use Amazon card all the time to even pay my electric bill...cause like I mentioned... now gifts for the holidays are paid for....or if I decide to buy books, or art supplies, or flea meds for the pets... paid for, because I use the benefits...and those companies don't benefit off of me....unless I carry a balance...and even if I did, it's about 12% interest rate.

You've got to step out of the lower victimization realm and take a stand.
Stand for yourself and who you are.
Choose with a conscious aware understanding and walk.
Debt may be heavyAF at times, but it is NOTHING compared to YOU and YOUR ENERGY

Look at it, check yourself inwardly, and take actions that FEEL LIKE A BADASS CEO of system operations.
Don't let it tell you how to feel.
You tell it how you're going to feel and then move from THAT space.
Make space for things you desire to come into your life. Clear space. Clean up your shit thoughts.
DO the work on the pdf files in the course I have posted. OWN it. Follow through.
You'll never know what's possible if you fall short on even one step, on even one journal prompt.
No excuses. Those who are masters and CEO's do not make excuses, they make moves. And they move according to their energy. And they keep that energy clear and filled with all the good things, the good thoughts, the good emotions...and yeah..... 'you can't just sit back and smile your way out of debt'. But you can walk through it with it on a leash, and you giving the commands.
If you are having anxiety and fear....that travels through the leash and gives your dog anxiety and fear. I mean haven't you seen those dog training shows. Even they teach that.

I could go on.... but you gotta do this work.
You have to step into it with more than your fears and lack.
No one can just tell you stuff and it fix everything. Only your presence in your life and energy can truly make any difference. So change your energy into something more and move with actions that carry that energy. Know, appreciate, trust, fill it with love and joy and ease, and effortlessness....and if you want to just manifest $100k.... get on it. Cause it will never come with you still looking at the shitshow and feeling how the shitshow tells you to feel....or you doing the same old things the same old ways.
I fucking believe in you and know you can do this and you can make debt your bitch.


My rant for the day. I cussed a lot in this one, apologies.
___________________


Want a crash course into debt? (...more like a wrecking ball... and you'll still need to clean it up...)
Drop into my inbox. I'm always happy to kick the system to the curb and you back in the driver's seat.
I'm not offering a sales pitch or going to send you some fucking sheet of my 'pricing'. Fuck that. This is an open door policy. Take what serves, give what serves.
I want to see you thrive and BE ALL OF WHO YOU ARE regardless of anything the system, the money, the world, the economy, the covid....can present up as a challenge.


_________________
___________________



The Credit Card Game - Part III - Become the GameMaster.

Actions and some steps you could take regarding debt.
This is if Dave Ramsey's way has failed you.
This is if your tried and true way you learned isn't working.
This is if the snowball method or the bulk method isn't budging the debt.
This is if you are so fucking done.

You know how much already, how much debt is costing you.
You know how much the system is feeding off of you and your energy.
So let's fuck it up. Throw it into confusion and create doors through the cage.
______________

Interest is the siphoning tool they use to suck your energy.
Know who you're paying interest to and how much they are taking.
We want to cut the heads off of that first and foremost.

Balance transfers are a huge tool in defeating the high interest charges.
   (If you plan to apply for a mortgage or big bank loan in the next year or two, don't do this process)
This depends if you have a card already that has an offer available, or if you are able to open up another account that has an offer available.
You literately can google, 'best balance transfer cards' and pick the one that looks favorable.
(I recommend any Citi card or if you have a local credit union that has card offers. Discover often only provides a low limit, and Capitol One will only offer you the one transfer and then never again, in my experience anyway.)
This doubles as a bonus if you have a spouse and they can apply too, AND you are both okay to share in the financial burdens of one another. I know many keep yourself separate from your spouse, and that's okay if you are going it alone. Do your thing.
* Also, this only usually works if you have okay credit or better. If you were already late or behind on payments to any creditor, this process will not work. They will not approve you to open another account. So if you have negative hits on your report, don't bother.

If you get approved, move your highest interest debts to this card. Pay off the ones costing you. Even if it's only one other debt, or 4.
0% is better than any other percentage.
There will be a fee of 3-5% of the transfer and that is fine if you couldn't pay it off in a few months anyway.
So everything past 2 months is interest free and now you've given yourself some breathing room for maybe 12 months.
** Don't take extra cash, or 'hold onto' the excess, or even ever plan to use the actual card for anything.
When the actual card comes in the mail, put it away in a drawer. You CAN NOT use it. It is only for holding and paying off the transfer debt.
If you use it, now your new purchases will rack up interest! Cut it up if you have to.
You will still at least pay the minimum.... and if you are serious, you will pay the minimum plus rounding up to the nearest $100 or $500, whatever you can rightfully afford.
DO NOT let any of these debts or companies pull energy from the energy you have to give yourself first. There are no regulators on debt, just you, so set boundaries and healthy intentions.

Some people go the debt consolidation route.
I'm going to recommend against this too.
They help sometimes, I guess.... but those companies charge interest too.
And they don't take away your credit cards....so guess what... now that they don't have a balance...and you're payments are a bit less... you live in this space of having more breathing room for a short time..
and then... something pops up and there's a credit card right here...wow....
Please don't.
If you can't do this yourself, every time and be fully responsible...
how are you going to incorporate and learn....and then be able to handle it forever?
Don't let someone else save you and you not know how to escape if it ever happens again.

I'm not saying sometimes bankruptcy isn't the answer (sometimes it can be)
but when you are IN the process and work... you learn a fuck ton of skills and organization and all the things that will strengthen and support you forever.
You don't help a butterfly out of their cocoon... they will die... and for those in debt, they will often suffer the same situations again and again.

_________

Loans....
There's something about asking for a loan from a person, like a bank loan officer, or even family.
There's a keg of perception and judgement all over it. Good or bad.
Unless you've got family with money and is really awesome and supportive to loan you money, and you have great communication about repayment and follow through trust... you ask the bank man. And the bank man can only go by what he sees on paper....on your credit report.
And you'll know if the words start with 'I have something I can offer you.' in a vibrant mood versus 'There seems to be a lot of ___ or ___ on your credit.' doubtful mood...
If the bank man's energy is dull... that's probably not a good sign about what they can offer you, if anything. Interest is not your friend, even if it's the bank man and not a credit company.

29% interest down to 23% interest might save you $100 a month, but it's a joke... and the system is still playing you. Don't fall for the crumbs on the floor.
If you aren't eating at the table, then don't agree to anything that doesn't feel relieving and refreshing.
29% down to 10% might be more up your alley if you are feeling free about it.

*Keep the 30% rule.
    30% of your money goes to you FIRST.
   Then handle your needs.
   Then your bills.
   Then your debts.

You're interest should drop down to only 30% of what it was if you are holding true to this standard.

Soul will have your back if you carry this standard throughout everything.
It's a really scary thing to attempt at first, but do it for a handful of weeks and the world will drop to your feet.
__________________


Maybe you already have shit credit and are locked out.
No worries.

If it's huge debt and you are ready to let go of everything. Look into bankruptcy.
No shame or guilt here. Sometimes if your income disappears overnight, you can't always keep the things you had.
You could sell out and make the money to pay your debtors yourself, or you can get the other people all up in your business to do it for you. (Whereas you no longer have control)
Both are okay. Do what you need to do.
Nothing in life is worth stressing over, especially regarding money or finances or the shit you have.
Relieve yourself, your family, your health from turmoil if things are beyond your control.
The system is there to use when you need to.
Don't let the bank take your house without first trying to sell it or contract out the loan. There are people able and willing to take over payments and hand you some upfront cash to keep the bank's hands off the property.
There are ways to cull your debt in an instant if you are in collections. Usually bargaining for a bulk payment for less than what you owe. You have to call them. You can also set up where you only pay $20mo to them. You get to call the shots about that no matter what they tell you, don't let them. You have complete control regarding the pay back of debts. However you can't just decide 'not to'.

Sometimes you can cut back, even significantly. But no one can hold that energy of cutting back forever. Have a plan and a deadline. Don't mistreat yourself or deny yourself basic joys in life.
__________

Here's the google tips for 'saving money' (a.k.a. bullshit + commentary)
Cut the things you don't need.
   (I always find this weird advice, because I don't have much I can even cut out of my own life. Maybe 3 things, and that's only maybe $60 max.... sooo... I guess this is more for those who still pay for cable and the newspaper and wasteful spending.)

Find a cheaper car insurance.
   (I have a young adult driving and 3 people/cars... there is nothing cheaper. And my insurance company has to have the cars and the house bundled...and no one else will accept the house because the roof is too old...fuckers...like we all can just put a new roof on our house overnight... I'm still waiting for a big storm to fuck it up so the insurance will pay for it. Until then, we patch it ourselves.)

Cheaper health insurance
   (LOL!!!! Remember that time they tried to make us pay for not having it. Yeah right. Try living in a state that hasn't expanded medicare and you live in the gap of not being able to buy it and not being able to get it for free. I went without for about 15 years and it was still cheaper to pay out of pocket when I actually did go to the doc. I have it now, but I haven't used it since I even got it...lol)

Buy cheaper food, shop small.
  (just no. Buying the cheaper brand will only create more waste because there's a reason why you don't buy it. Not on everything, but many things. Fruity O's taste nothing like Froot Loops and you know it. Organic apples have taste, while 'apples' often do not, or taste like pesticides... go organic for 4 weeks and tell me how you can ever go back...because you can't...because you taste the other stuff in the non-organics now. I also have 3 apple trees in my backyard (planted to save money and get free apples!yay) and I haven't been able to harvest any for going on 3 years now....so I'm living the dream... LOL.)

Staycations
    (we are going places? My last 'vacation' was New Year's of 2018 (I think)... it was a cruise, and it kinda sucked.  I'm visiting my niece soon...is that a vacation? I'm going to a concert in Feb. so maybe that counts...? I like staying home actually.)

Pack your lunch...
   (....I work at home... I'm always at home. I like my own food and kinda don't really even eat lunch...but I don't really get up til almost noon anyway....soooo)

You know what.... stay off of google.

_____________________________

Searching for answers is way different than receiving your answers.
Check your energy.
Tune into it.
Listen to what's coming through YOU and not what's coming from the world.
The world can help define, but it can't lead.
There's no trickety-trick. There's no effortless way through the muck.
There's just tools and your knowing how to use them.
There's trust in your own skills and the honing of those skills.
There's learning and getting your mindset clear.
There's building a support and trust with yourself and what you inwardly know and feel.

Debt is a tool and sometimes that tool gets out of hand. (like a chainsaw!)
But we can reassess and learn with new tools and new processes and sometimes just walk away.
Cut the emotional ties you have to the debt.
Heal and resonate with freedom and abundance.
And stay there, no matter how ugly the world is looking.
When you stay centered and focused on the best feeling outcomes..
it all has to come into resonance with you.
Don't forget who you are and what you are capable of.
You are always in control, even if you have handed control over to the system for a time.

I've seen people soar straight out of debt and lack and move into wealth within days.
I've seen people simply meditate and realign and things shifted overnight for them.
I've seen people let go of the struggle energy and quickly open up into receiving.
You got this!
You are beautiful and able and have everything you need.
I know that whatever obstacles or challenges you face are often only illusions and the pathways through them are already there. The tools are already there.
I fucking believe in everyone of us to be abundant and thrive in our lives. <3 <3 <3
I believe in YOU. Believe in you too!

_______