Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt!: Phone Calls to Banks That Saved More Than $43,000 in Interest Charges and Fees [Paperback]

Scott Bilker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0964840154 | ISBN-13: 978-0964840157 | Publication Date: March 1, 2003 | Edition: Second Printing

Learning how to talk your way out of credit card debt is the quickest, easiest, and most efficient way to start saving money!

It's true! You can call your credit card banks to negotiate a better interest rate and have fees waived! However, it may not be as easy as picking up the phone and asking. That's because bank representatives are trained to deter you from pursuing the deals you deserve. Overcoming their tactics can be difficult when you don't know what to expect.

Scott Bilker, author of Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, and creator of DebtSmart.com, has spent 10+ years making banks compete for his business. Now, he's sharing his personal phone calls to banks that saved more than $43,000 for himself, his family, and friends! These 52 phone calls, out of the hundreds he has made, demonstrate exactly what worked, what didn't, and why. In each call transcript, for anonymity, banks have been renamed as dog breeds and their reps as bugs.:)

In this book you will discover proven negotiation strategies, and build your confidence, while learning how to: (1) get annual fees waived; (2) lower your current interest rates; (3) shop for the best credit card deals; (4) get late-payment, overlimit, and cash-advance fees waived; (5) compare loan options and calculate savings; (6) dispute charges and get all your refunds; (7) negotiate account settlements; and much more!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott Bilker's first book, the best-selling title, Credit Card and Debt Management, was reviewed and recommended by many notable sources, such as: The Motley Fool, The American Library Association, Reviewer's Bookwatch, Bank Rate Monitor, Investor Press, Vanderbilt University, the JumpStart Coalition: Financial Smarts for Students, and the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

His credit card advice has been featured in several magazines and newspapers including Woman's Day, The San Francisco Chronicle, St. Paul Pioneer Press, and many more. His website, DebtSmart.com, with its DebtSmart® articles and email newsletter, is continuously helping consumers save money and manage their debt.

Scott has also appeared on PBS's Take Note with Patty Satalia, WB 17's Community Close-Up (WPHL-TV Philadelphia) with Dorie Lenz, the Extra Help Channel's In the Money with J.J. Burns (C.F.P.), and CN8's Real Life with Mary Amoroso. Plus, he's been interviewed on more than 1,000 radio stations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Press One Pub; Second Printing edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964840154
• ISBN-13: 978-0964840157
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #438,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm the founder of DebtSmart.com, the DebtSmart(r) Column, and the free DebtSmart(r) Email Newsletter, which is continuously helping consumers find their best borrowing options.

I'm an electrical engineer, with a Bachelor of Science from the Newark College of Engineering, and a member of Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering Honor Society). In my last year of college I had to turn to my credit cards to pay for books, tuition, gas, etc. At that point I decided to focus my analytical skills toward saving as much money as possible because the cost of all my loans and financing were so expensive. In 1996 I released my first book, and eventually, because of its success and later that of DebtSmart.com, I decided to resign from my position at the Naval Air Engineering Station (NAES) Lakehurst to pursue the website and other book projects full-time.

I'm a big supporter of education and served three years as an elected Board of Education member in Barnegat, NJ. I've always been involved in education in some way either by volunteering as a coach, Calculus tutor, and Physics tutor.

I've spent the past 13+ years finding great credit deals and saving thousands of dollars for others and myself. My credit card advice has been featured in several magazines, newspapers, and online resources including "Consumer Reports," "Money" magazine, "The Wall Street Journal," "Newsweek," "The Christian Science Monitor," SmartMoney.com, "Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine," "Reader's Digest," CNN/Money, BankRate.com, CBS Marketwatch, "Woman's World," The Motley Fool, CBS News (The Early Show), "Men's Health," "Woman's Day," "The San Francisco Chronicle," "Glamour," "Greensburg Tribune-Review," "The Sun," and "Valley Voice." Plus,

I've also appeared on CNN's "American Morning" with Miles O'Brien & Soledad O'Brien, "Today in NY" with Roseanne Colletti, CNNfn's "Your Money" with Ali Velshi, NBC 10 News' "Consumer Alert," NBC 6 News' "Consumer Connection," PBS's "Take Note" with Patty Satalia, WB 17's "Community Close-Up" (WPHL-TV Philadelphia) with Dorie Lenz, the Extra Help Channel's "In the Money" with J. J. Burns (C.F.P.), and CN8's "Family Talk" with Mary Amoroso.

Additionally, I've been interviewed on more than 1,000 radio stations (coast-to-coast, in Canada, and the UK) including National Public Radio's (NPR) "Morning Edition" with Steve Inskeep, WSJ Radio, "The Wall Street Journal This Morning" with Michael Wallace, WFAN (NY) with Bob Salter, KFMB (San Diego) with Jeff & Jer, and Talk America Network's "It's Your Money" with Dr. William Bailey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Details taking charge of your credit card debt, June 30, 2003

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt!: Phone Calls to Banks That Saved More Than $43,000 in Interest Charges and Fees (Paperback)

"Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt" provides solid advice on getting your rate reduced, annual fees waived, removing a late payment fee, handling disputes, and many other common problems when dealing with credit card companies. More than just advice, it is a collection of detailed examples of phone calls including complete transcripts. Each transcript demonstrates how the author handled a particular issue and the results of the call. Not content to just give one example of getting an interest rate lowered or removing over limit fees, each type of problem has several transcripts so you can get a good feel for what to expect and how to handle it. Most people are not aware of how much power they have when dealing with a credit card company and how to get things changed. This book walks the reader through the process from beginning to end and is a recommended read for anyone looking to gain control of his or her credit card situation.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable book from day one, May 14, 2004

By 

Monica Rice (PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt!: Phone Calls to Banks That Saved More Than $43,000 in Interest Charges and Fees (Paperback)

I was shopping for a book that would help me with the credit card debt I have accumulated. I chose this book. It has proven to be very bemeficial to me. It contains a large amount of information your banks don't want you to know. My first night of reading the book, I got up to about page 70 and made my first phone call, with the intent of gaining information about the account and possibly getting a fee reversed. I ended up getting a $50 credit to the account, relatively easily. I cannot praise this book enough! If you need to reduce your credit card debt, this book may very well be your solution.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE CONFIDENCE YOU NEED IS CONTAINED HEREIN..., December 24, 2003

By 

Abe Vigoda "part-time inventor" (Vermont, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt!: Phone Calls to Banks That Saved More Than $43,000 in Interest Charges and Fees (Paperback)

I had the same problem most of you reading this have. But after reading this book from cover to cover, I was awashed with a new vigor and confidence to launch a strategic war of words with the credit card telephone handlers. As you read thru the transcripts of the author's actual calls, picture yourself talking on the phone with the same savvy as he. Then close the book, put up your over charged, over penalized, and over interest rated bill and MAKE CALLS! Show them that you are taking CONTROL of your finances and relish the experience of sticking up for yourself.