Comments on: A Survival Guide to Debt: How to Overcome Tough Times & Restore Your Financial Health

By: K. Duncan

K. Duncan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:30:09 +0000

I've read several personal finance / "get out of debt" books over the past few months, and this is the best. It has great practical advice for dealing with creditors and delaying foreclosure. The book is full of short "Survival Tips" that offer quick advice on a wide variety of debt issues from dealing with collectors to student loans.

The book has a companion website [...] that has even more great information. Particularly useful is the "Worksheets and Templates" section which has templates for Cease and Desist, Hardship Request and many other helpful letters. Fill in a few form fields, click Print and you have a professional letter that you can mail or fax to your creditors.

This book is easy to read and gives great advice without passing judgment. Unlike other authors who come across as "cult-leaders", Mitchell Allen is sincere, funny and earnest about helping people eliminate debt and live better lives. Highly recommended! Rating: 5 / 5

By: C. Janssen

C. Janssen — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:30:14 +0000

This is a great book for anybody who is struggling with debt and is looking for somewhere to turn. There is no much misinformation out there, it’s refreshing to see such an unbiased and well-informed view on the subject.
Rating: 5 / 5

By: M. Bush

M. Bush — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:17:52 +0000

Finally, a non-judgmental resource of basic information with easy to understand alternatives! Mitchell Allen’s book gives steps you can take when trying to deal with overwhelming debt, but more importantly, he offers hope. “You are not your debt!…Your worth as a person is not measured by your net worth, your past-due balances, or your lack of sufficient income.” Here you’ll get straight-forward techniques on how to prioritize your debt, options for debt management, and how to get your life back on track. The point of this book is not to explain how deep a hole you’re in; you already know that. Instead, Allen offers you a ladder to climb up and out of that hole and provides you a map to avoid future financial pitfalls. Good read, even for those who just need motivation and reminders why it’s important to live on a monthly budget, use credit very cautiously and save for life’s inevitable set-backs.
Rating: 5 / 5

By: Midwest Book Review

Midwest Book Review — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:04:22 +0000

Debt takes as much of a toll on one’s nerves as it does on one’s bank account. “A Survival Guide to Debt: How to Overcome Tough Times & Restore Your Financial Health” is a guide for those who are in debt over their heads and are confounded on how to survive the crisis. With plenty of tips for fighting off debt on one’s own power, dealing with collections agencies, considering different types of bankruptcy, and more, “A Survival Guide to Debt” may be just what the financially challenged need to find their way out of the financial hole.
Rating: 5 / 5

By: Gilbert J. Bradshaw

Gilbert J. Bradshaw — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:38:15 +0000

I am a bankruptcy attorney and people always ask me questions about how to debt consolidate, negotiate, and everything else. To be honest, since I do corporate bankruptcy its a completely different animal. This book is a one-stop guide to wading through pre-bankruptcy planning, debt consolidations, arbitrations, etc. The most important thing is that if you go to the website there is a list of credit counseling agencies and debt negotiation/arbitration agencies that are reputable.

Reading this book prepared me to deal better with my friends' questions about personal finances and personal bankruptcy.

His explanation of the bankruptcy process was great. As an attorney I didn't find any issues with his presentation. Most importantly I thought his chapter on your mindset and always trying to find ways to save money is one of the most important parts of the entire process. Rating: 5 / 5