If you are new to the blog, click HERE to start at the beginning of my story.
POST #21
I have shared with you, again and again, that debt settlement is a process. It forced me to do a lot of research, tested my patience and resolve and challenged my brain. But I want to make one thing clear, I am not an expert. I am a FIRC (former irresponsible recovering consumer) who successfully followed the coaching and guidelines of the Consumer Recovery Network DIY program.
Several times I have looked back on this experience and wondered if I could have done it all on my own without the help of a DIY program. There is a lot of free info on the internet. Heck, this blog itself shows you many of the techniques used to navigate the process. After careful review, I have concluded that you CAN do it without the help of a company…..but I don’t recommend it.
Here are a few pitfalls of going solo:
- Image by LuvataciousSkull via Flickr
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Every situation and bank negotiation is different. You will have to improvise along the way. A wrong choice can kill the deal.
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Timing is everything. Not all banks process the collections in the same time line. You will be doing some guessing.
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The reps will lie to you. How will you sift through the BS?
I followed CRN’s DIY program. I listened to the CDs, read the workbook and had about 30 hours of phone calls with my CRN coach. Guess which was the most indispensable aspect?
The advice from my coach.
There were a zillion forks in the road during my debt settlement. All of the solutions came from discussions with my coach. I have shared many of these solutions already, but I want to add one last thing.
I knew was getting close to a settlement on these 2 big line of credit accounts. It would take a bit of fancy footwork, negotiating and quick thinking. There was critical phone call I had to make and decided to add an extra safety measure. This technique, appropriately called the Debt Settlement Weapon of Choice, can only be done when you have a coach. Hang on, this is a good one!
I called my CRN coach, put her on mute, then conferenced in the bank. While I was talking with the bank, my CRN coach was listening in and emailing me questions to ask the bank rep. GENIUS!
We only did this once, during a critical call. It was a great help because, despite all of my preparedness, the flow of this particular conversation was beyond my expertise. I couldn’t distill the truth from the BS, nor could I determine the best questions to ask.
In short, you can do a full on “free” DIY by using info on the internet. But for me, I concluded it was best to have an expert coach offering advice and counsel specific to my situation. Especially when that advice was in real time during the conversation, via email!!!
Stay tuned. Stay afloat. Wealth and freedom are in your future.
Jonathan
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