Author: Philip Tirone

I just got off the phone with a client that was not applying for certain jobs becuase she knew that the company would run her credit.
Here is what I told her (2:53 second audio).
Here’s to your future,
Philip
P.S. It’s funny, most people think that they are the only people with financial problems, that is NOT the case.

I’m talking about my business. It’s an ugly, tough, dirty one. Despite the fact that a lot of people desperately need my service, most people think credit is boring…
And those who aren’t bored by credit repair are often scared. They bury their heads in the sand because they just don’t want to deal with their credit problems.
So getting the word out there to the 10 million people who need credit repair?
Well, like I said, it’s a tough and ugly business.
But recently, I had an epiphany that I know will help you get out of a financial mess.
First, some background…
Because I spent so much time figuring out how to spread the word about my program, a lot of my friends and colleagues ask me to help them with their business models…
After all, if a credit guy can do it, a “prettier” business can do it!
So I was recently meeting with a colleague of mine to discuss his marketing strategy. My company has been writing the weekly emails he sends to his list …
And after sending just six emails, he earned an additional $60,000!
Wow! That’s $10,000 per email.
And all he had to do was ask his existing clients and colleagues for referrals.
All he had to do was ask.
Now, this guy is really sophisticated. In fact, he’s one of the smartest people I know.
But he wasn’t asking for referrals (at least not often and not strategically).
When he did, he earned $60,000 in six weeks. And all he had to do was push the “Send” button on his computer.
So what’s the lesson in this?
You have to ask for what you want. If you aren’t calling your creditors and asking them to lower your interest rates or waive the penalties, they aren’t going to.
You have to ask.
That might be all it takes. Call up your credit card company and ask for the hardship department. Then tell them your situation. See what they say.
The worst that will happen? They will say “no.” But I’m willing to bet that 99 percent of them will work with their customers to provide at least a little wiggle room. Maybe they will let you skip one
payment.
Or maybe they will settle your $15,000 credit card bill for 40 cents on the dollar, like they did for my friend.
You will never know unless you ask.
In my program, I teach people to call their credit card companies at least once every six months to negotiate lower interest rates or better terms.
Why not make today the day you call ‘em up and ask?
As always, let me know your success stories by posting a comment below!
– Philip Tirone

I’ve written a few posts about bankruptcy lately, but it occurred to me that I should explain what happens to a credit score after a bankruptcy.
The truth is: Sometimes your credit score will be better off in the long run. And here’s why…
If you are struggling with your finances and your credit score, and you do not see an immediate light at the end of the tunnel, you will probably continue to struggle for a few more years. As you fight to stay afloat, you will probably miss a few payments here and there.
And your credit score will suffer. In two years, it will be exactly where it is now.
But if you declare bankruptcy today, and then start the process of rebuilding your credit score after bankruptcy, in two years, you could have a 720 credit score!
I always say that bankruptcy isn’t as dirty as it sounds, so I hope this eases your mind!
Sincerely,
Philip Tirone
P.S. One more thing, certain mortgage companies are stopping their clients from reaffirming mortgage debt during a bankruptcy. Some of my clients are worried about what this will do to their credit scores. To them, I just want to say: Don’t worry—you don’t need a mortgage on your credit report to have a high credit score after a bankruptcy.

How about your home? Your office? Your yard?
I’m a little embarrassed to say “yes, yes, yes, and yes.”
Or, at least, that was the old me. I’m a hyper, busy guy, so everything was a mess.
When was I supposed to find time to organize my stuff when I was constantly rushing to do the next big thing?
But then I started noticing something…
By training my mind to give every physical thing a purpose, I started making better decisions about my time and my finances.
The floor of my car is not a trashcan. That’s not its purpose. Its purpose is to stabilize the car, keep me from falling through, hold the seats in place, etc. It was not created with the goal of holding my garbage.
So I don’t put garbage on the floor of my car. If I must store garbage in my car, I place it in a bag whose purpose is to hold garbage.
Now, you might be thinking that organization and cleanliness are irrelevant to credit or financial problems…
But I disagree.
If your physical space is sloppy, your life will most likely be sloppy…
Training your mind to give everything its purpose and its place allows you to make better financial and spending decisions.
If your mind is not trained to examine everything, decide its purpose, and then put it in the right place, you will make purchases that do not honor your long-term goals.
You will make buying decisions that do not have a purpose.
Your budgeting will be sloppy…
Giving things a purpose, and then placing them where they belong, gives you control over your life. It allows you to immediately eliminate dead weight and garbage.
It also gives you the opportunity to accept things that will improve your life.
Imagine the impact of training your brain to put things in its place.
You can immediately eliminate expenses that are silly. You can immediately accept ideas that will help you become more frugal.
You can immediately stop yourself from making purchases that don’t have a purpose…
What do you think? Am I crazy? Spot on? Let me know your thoughts below!
– Philip Tirone

This is one of the tricks for raising credit scores that most people don’t know about …
It’s calling “authorized user.” If you become an authorized user on someone’s credit card, your credit score will increase as long as that credit card is in good standing.
In fact, I’ve seen people’s scores increase sixty points just by becoming authorized users.
The catch is that you must meet certain qualifications to become an authorized user: you must choose the right person and the right credit card. Read this article about becoming an authorized user to see how to qualify.
Sincerely,
Philip Tirone
P.S. If you have a bad credit score, and you have fewer than five credit cards, I strongly suggest that you become an authorized user!
P.P.S. I’ve been working on an exciting project for people who have been wronged by the credit bureaus. Keep your eyes peeled… I’ll be releasing it soon.

Listen to this interview to learn some great information on what to do when you are considering bankruptcy.

In last week’s post, I told you about how I do odd things to get exposure to people who can inspire me and help me make important shifts in my life…
My point was this: If you want to change your financial circumstances, you could consider surrounding yourself with people who are going to help you get out of debt, fix your credit score, or increase your savings. By getting exposure to these people, you will naturally be exposed to ideas, habits, and activities that will help you change paths.
These people come in all shapes and sizes. You could decide to start having a weekly conversation with your sister- in-law, who is a master at budgeting and living on a shoestring. If you are a mortgage broker who just can’t make ends meet, you could find a mortgage broker who figured out how to make money in this economy.
Or you might want a mentor who can help you make other important shifts in your financial life or even in your career…
So if you are looking to meet with the Zig Ziglars, Ken Carters, and Rick Carusos of the world, I thought I’d pass along a strategy I use.
It’s called the 7 Magic Words, and I’ve used the strategy to get in front of all sorts of people…
So what are these seven magic words that will help you get exposure to the people you need to meet?
Here they are:
“What can I do to support you?”
These seven magic words open all sorts of doors.
Let’s say you are an employee at a large company. You want to have lunch with the head of the company, but he’s a busy man, and you are just one more face in the crowd.
Imagine what would happen if you sent your boss an email that said something like this …
Dear Steve:

What can I do to support you?

I want to be a superstar employee— someone who is with this company for many years; someone who becomes an integral part of the team. So what can I do to contribute more to the company?

Can I take you to lunch and find out more about you and your ideas for the company?

I know you are busy, and that your time is important. This week, I have $25 in disposable income. I know it isn’t a lot, and it certainly won’t compensate you for your time, but I’d be happy to donate it to a charity of your choice if you could spare an hour for a lunch meeting. And if you don’t have time for lunch, maybe we could grab coffee and talk for 15 minutes.

Sincerely,
Jason
If you promised to give your last $25 to your boss’s charity, do you think he or she would take notice of you? And do you think he or she would be willing to consider you for a raise or promotion when a spot opened up? I know I would!
Of course, if you are up to your neck in debt, you might not want to donate $25 to charity. No problem—let your boss know that you’ll donate five hours to a charity of his or her choice! Or do something—anything—to let your boss know that you are driven and want to move your life forward.
As always, let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below!
– Philip Tirone