FinanciallyCluelessFilter: If I borrowed money from a friend in British pounds (when I was in the UK) and am now repaying him in Australian dollars, should I be repaying him at the current exchange rate, or the historical exchange rate at the time of the loan? [more inside]
posted by Weng on Dec 21, 2009 - 19 answers

What is the best way for me to try to get a debt consolidation loan? [more inside]
posted by drjimmy11 on Dec 3, 2009 - 6 answers

How do I get my life on track with high debt and a chronic medical condition? [more inside]
posted by thegreatcokeolympics on Sep 19, 2009 - 9 answers

I am in debt to the tune of about 20,000 in credit card debt. However, I have great credit, (739) which I've finally cleaned up after a horrible year of ID theft. Most of my debt is on one credit card at 12% APR. I make about 35,000 a year, rent, and don't have any equity or a car. At the rate I can afford to pay at this point (450/month) I'll be in debt for about 8 more years. This seems unreasonable. Should I take out a personal loan, sign up for several low APR credit cards that offer no interest for a year, etc... I live off what I make at this point, and look forward to a credit card-free future. Thanks!
posted by letstrythis on Jul 4, 2009 - 23 answers

How can I get an emergency loan to pay the rent? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 25, 2009 - 21 answers

Can anyone comment on the sovereignty implications of the putative debt agreements that the Icelandic government is seeking to enter into with Britain and the Netherlands? [more inside]
posted by laumry on Jun 18, 2009 - 7 answers

Will my student loan interest rate and the rate of inflation cancel one another out? [more inside]
posted by delosic on Mar 9, 2009 - 17 answers

My Mom’s wages are being garnished by a collection agency. Can we still settle the debt? How much do we offer and where do we get the money? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 29, 2008 - 4 answers

Help name my friend's finance business! [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 17, 2008 - 13 answers

Can I apply for a Stafford loan without going through my school? [more inside]
posted by serazin on Sep 8, 2008 - 3 answers

Debt/Loan Filter: I was stupid with credit and debt when I was younger. Is there anything I can do now? More details inside. [more inside]
posted by slavlin on Aug 24, 2008 - 11 answers

I'm getting a law degree but I hate being adversarial. Any ideas for something fun to do with this degree? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 18, 2008 - 22 answers

A noobie question on credit scores! I know raising your score is partly done by reliable monthly payments on credit cards and loans - and people who are just starting out to build their scores, are often advised to get a card and begin to responsibly pay it off, to catch the notice of the reporting agencies. Would that mean that if you can pay off a large credit loan (e.g., in the realm of $2k) immediately instead of sticking to a monthly payment system, you're missing out on chances to further raise your score? Or does being able to pay off such an amount in full give you an equivalent gold star sticker? [more inside]
posted by Bakuun on Jul 1, 2008 - 6 answers

Does a student loan in deferment count as debt for the purposes of figuring debt to income ratios in an FHA loan? [more inside]
posted by Dr. Zira on Feb 27, 2008 - 3 answers

My sister and her husband are in serious debt. My wife and I are going to act as their financial advisors to help them get it together. Can anyone recommend any programs/products we can look into? [more inside]
posted by Chuck Cheeze on Feb 19, 2008 - 39 answers

Repaying Stafford college loans that disappeared from my credit report (due to age), but still collect all tax refunds - what kind of hit might I expect on my credit, reactivating the account by a full-payoff? More importantly, what kind of deal can I propose to avoid all the interest? Anyone have experience with this? [more inside]
posted by ValveAnnex on May 17, 2007 - 4 answers

Student loan advice needed. Details within. [more inside]
posted by the ghost of Ken Lay on Apr 30, 2007 - 16 answers

Is it better to pay off all my debts, or keep the debts and invest the money I would have paid them off with? [more inside]
posted by Jimbob on Jan 11, 2007 - 24 answers

Cheap Money Filter: I've got a moderate amount of credit card debt right now ($15k), at reasonable but not great rates (13-18%). I'll be making more money in the upcoming year, and the debt load is manageable, but I want to explore trading these loans with an unsecured line-of-credit type loan or some other loan. Advice? Suggestions on where to get a good rate (i.e. got any good junk mail lately)? [more inside]
posted by zpousman on Jan 10, 2007 - 15 answers

College student in debt, looking for a way out. [more inside]
posted by isopropyl on Jun 3, 2006 - 14 answers

What are my options for getting a personal loan of about $25,000 to consolidate some cc debt and maybe remodel our kitchen? [more inside]
posted by stevyb on Aug 30, 2005 - 6 answers

A friend of mine has just taken on a large amount of debt since splitting with his girlfriend. What can he do to keep on top of it? [more inside]
posted by jeresig on Aug 8, 2005 - 20 answers

FinancialFilter. I'm looking to consolidate credit card debt and am not sure what my options are. Advice?

I owe about $13,000 on four credit cards (14.9% - 19.9% APR), and about $35,000 on a consolidated student loan (4.5% APR). I've had a checking account with my current bank for over four years, but no savings account. I'm employed full-time, would be willing to close all but one of my credit card accounts when paid off, and although I don't know what my credit rating is, I know it's got to be pretty good. Oh, and I'm female, over thirty, if that matters.

What kind of APR could I expect from a signature loan? Is a signature loan a good idea? Should I leave my student loan as is?
posted by anonymous on Jan 27, 2005 - 11 answers

ForgottenEconLessonsFilter - When the US Gov't says that they are going to borrow more money to fund an initiative, what entity is doing the lending? What is there to keep them from refusing?
posted by grabbingsand on Dec 6, 2004 - 8 answers