Effective Ways to Eliminate Your Debt

How to Quickly Eliminate Debt If you have found yourself deeply in debt, you are looking for a way out. One of the first things to help yourself out of debt is to make a realistic budget and cut out anything you do not absolutely need. This includes eating out, going to movies, clothing shopping unless absolutely necessary, vacations, and any other expenditure that don't go for necessities or utilities. If you've cut all the corners you can cut and you're still struggling financially. If you have owned your home for a while, you can get an equity loan against the money you have paid in on your home loan's equity amount. Shop around if you choose this option, all equity loans are not created equal. Also, if you take the home equity loan approach see what other bills you can roll into the home equity loan so that you can reduce the interest amout charge as more times than not your credit cards will have a much higher interest rate. Another avenue to take to establish a debt elimination plan which can include ways to obtain a debt consolidation loan. This is usually done through a bank or credit union, however there are private venues that can lend amounts up to $5,000. In order for a debt consolidation plan to do the job of getting you debt free, you must resolve to not spend on your credit cards, get any new loans or incur any other unnecessary debts. Otherwise you'll have all your current bills plus a consolidation loan to repay and you will find yourself even deeper in debt. Again, in order for a debt elimination plan to be effective you must follow the rules...spending what you shouldn't will just lead to failure. Debt elimination plans are available on the Internet in the form of helping you budget, helping you cut corners and live a little more frugally as well as providing a structure format to eliminate your debt. Additionally, the Internet is a valuable resource for finding a good consolidation loan rate or equity lender. Look at your financial situation objectively, do your research and get the debt help you need by making sure you have a sound debt elimination plan from the start. Did you know that anyone can become debt free quickly and easily? Stop worrying about bills and start enjoying life. You will be amazed at how quickly you can turn your financial situation around. I don't know about you but I would rather be on vacation having fun rather than laying awake at night wondering how to will make my next house paymet. Diana Lopez is a full time consultant who has helped hundreds of clients eliminate their debt in a short period of time. For some exclusive tips visit www.debt-elimination-plans.com Debt Elimination is simple if you know what to do....do YOU have a plan? Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diana_Lopez

Do You Need Debt Help?

Let’s say that your net monthly income (that’s after taxes) is $2500. Your monthly debt payments are $600. Divide $600 by $2500, and you’ve done it. 600 ÷ 2500 = .24 (24%) So, how do you figure out your debt to income ratio? 1. Take a look at your last month’s bills. Add up all the fixed monthly expenses (rent, mortgage, car payments, insurance, gas/electric, etc.) 2. Check your credit card bills and add up the minimum payments required on each 3. Figure out your monthly take-home pay (net salary - meaning after taxes, etc.) 4. Divide the monthly fixed expenses by monthly income Now, how much debt is too much? The majority of debt settlement and credit counseling companies generally agree that debt expenses should be no more than 25% of your income. A ratio of 10% or less is ideal. Actually, no debt is the best but who are we kidding…. If you are carrying a debt load of more that 25% it’s time to take action. You may even want to get some type of debt help by looking into a debt settlement or credit counseling program. If you own real property, you may want to look into some type of debt consolidation loan. To learn more about your options and managing you debt, log onto www.debtreliefoptions.com. Jon Noble Staff writer Debt Relief Options asktheexperts@debtreliefoptions.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Noble

Understanding Debt Consolidation

Almost every person who has ever faced debt problems has thought for one moment about debt consolidation. It sounds like a great way to simplify your situation. It sounds like a way out. A lower payment sounds like what you are looking for. But thank goodness, there are many people out there that are scared of the step. They take the time to thoroughly understand what consolidation really means. In many cases, the consolidation company simply requires you to take out a second mortgage or a home equity loan. If you do this to pay your debts, you are simply moving your debts around. Yes, you get a lower interest rate, but now your home is at risk. If you continue to charge on your cards, you will be in big trouble. If you were to lose your job or have an emergency, you don't have to find a way to pay your debts. You have to find a way to keep your home. It is a serious situation. Some debt consolidation loans don't actually offer you a better interest rate than the individual creditors will. If you are really serious about paying off your debt, then you can often negotiate with the individual creditors for better interest rates. These rates can often be more favorable than those charged by debt consolidation companies (who are probably throwing a fee into your rate). Consumers with serious debt mistakenly assume that one loan looks better than several outstanding debts on a credit report. However, most consolidation efforts will have a negative effect on credit ratings at first. This is becuase a key portion of your score is made of the length of time you have accounts open. If you close all your accounts for a new consolidation loan, you are cutting your credit history. Don't just assume that consolidation is the magic solution. You have to realize that your spending is what got you into this situation. Getting a loan will not magically solve your spending issues. Over time, new debt will reappear. Make sure that you are really truly ready to change your habits. There are many companies out there that are just fronts for unscrupulous lenders looking to cash in on your desperation. Make sure that you know who you are dealing with. Don't pay fees up front. Have a lawyer look over any loan papers before you sign them. Check with the Better Business Bureau and the state attorney general's office for any complaints or open investigations. That being said, not all debt consolidation is bad. There are some people that really benefit from the help that it provides. It simply depends on your situation. The lower interest rates and ability to pay off your debt faster may be best found in debt consolidation. The key is to make sure that you know exactly what you are getting into and are carefully making decisions about your debt. Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Lukac

Are You Addicted To Debt?

Debt is one of those things that you never see coming. It is so innocent. So quite. Yet it is deadly. It is addicting. It will control you before you even know what is going on. It sounds a little overdramatic. But it isn't. Debt is one of those things that flips on you. You have it in control one day, the next, it has you. Many of us realize that it is getting out of control, but we don't do anything about it. We ignore the warning signs. We continue to contribute to its hold on us. Credit cards are just the beginning. Before you know it, you can justify anything. And it will eat your finances, your peace and even your relationships. First, you must recognize that you are addicted. This is hard for many. We hate to admit that we have messed up. I've been there. Hindsight is 20/20. But once you have beaten it, you are wiser. You see things more clearly. You understand what you did to get there. And you see it in those around you. Ask yourself: Have you been requesting credit increases lately? Are you maxed out on your cards? Do you have trouble paying your monthly bills due to lack of funds? Are you using your credit to pay for groceries and other living expenses? Do your credit card payments exceed 20% of your monthly income? If you are answering yes, then you are becoming a debt addict. If you whip out that card without even thinking, just to be shocked when the bill comes, you are an addict. What can you do? Start changing right this minute. Fix the problems right away. Take steps to identify why you overspend and how you can stop. Cut those cards up and form a plan to get out of debt. Create a budget and stick with it. Learn to live without the stress that comes along with debt. Sleep again without worrying about how you will pay the bills. Free yourself from your debt addiction. Martin Lukac represents www.RateEmpire.com and www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Lukac

Make a Better Living with Cheap Debt Consolidation Loans

It’s true that debts help your life run smooth. But too many debts make life complex. In order to make your life run stress-free in spite of the debts, avail debt consolidation loan. Debt consolidation offers you cheap loan and fuses together all your existing debts into one. This enables you to repay only one debt instead of many thus making your life free of pressure and anxiety. A debt consolidation loan is offered to you in a very cheap rate and gives a chance to make multiple repayments through only one debt. Here, cheap rate refers to low interest rate. Thus debt consolidation loans not only help to reduce your monthly repayments, but also do it in an inexpensive way. In other words, the lender will take charge of all your debts and will offer you just one debt to repay. Cheap debt consolidation loans offer you the following benefits: - It saves you from making several repayments, thus saving you time and effort. - You will no longer be taking phone calls from your lenders and make any kind of negotiation. - It will reduce your monthly repayments and help you increase your savings. Cheap debt consolidation loans are offered in both secured and unsecured forms. With a secured debt consolidation loan, you will have to put collateral such as your home, car, or ant valuable property against the loan amount. Or if you do not wish to put your property on risk, you can avail unsecured loans which will offer you money without any risk. The most important factor to be considered while taking a cheap debt consolidation loan is to research. Research is must before making any decision. There are a vast amount of lenders available on the net who offer debt consolidation loans. Your job is to select the best lender among them and get debt consolidation loans at a very cheap rate. But before applying for the loan, you require to fulfill a certain conditions. The lenders will ask you about your credit history, personal details, employment proof etc. So you need to have all these information ready with you. But if you are thinking that debt consolidation loans will be offered only to good credit holders, you are wrong. Cheap debt consolidation loans are offered to bad credit holders also with the interest rate and repayment according to their financial situations. Cheap debt consolidation loans offer you a new hope and opportunity to improve your financial situations and live a debt free life. Ashley Lewis has been associated with Free Debt Consolidation Quote. Having completed her Masters in Finance from Cranfield School of Management. She provide useful advice through her articles that have been found very useful. To find more about Cheap debt consolidation loans, Debt consolidation quote, Free debt consolidation quote, Credit card debt consolidation loan visit http://www.freedebtconsolidationquote.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashley_Lewis

Credit Card Debt Consolidation Loan - Shed Debts Instantly

A debt "pile-up" worries you but debts are most painful when credit cards are the culprit as there is very high interest rate and penalties involved in it. It is prudent to erase credit card debts as early as possible before the debt burden lends you in serious financial trouble. Often restricted use of credit card is advised for managing the debts but it is not that practical as is thought. So there is no option left other then taking a credit card debt consolidation loan to eliminate the debts at once. You can get rid of credit card debts in a very easy manner. All you have to do is apply for a credit card debt consolidation loan. Why take this loan? Because the loan comes at lower interest rate as compared to the higher interest rate you have been paying on credit card debts. With taking lower interest rate credit card debt consolidation loan you instantly pay off all of your credit card debts from the loan amount and save lot of monetary outgo that was going waste in paying for higher interest rate. Of course you are still under the debts as you have taken credit card debt consolidation loan but it is low cost loan and can be paid off comfortable in larger duration. Meanwhile after getting rid of credit card debts and learning from your mistakes, you can start a new credit card debt free life by adopting credit card management technique. Credit card debt consolidation loan merges all your credit card debts in one lender. You no longer pay interest and monthly installments to different lenders. Instead you pay monthly installments to just one lender who provides credit card debt consolidation loan. You have options of taking a secured or unsecured credit card debt consolidation loan. The secured loan requires collateral like home or any property that has some equity in it. With the loan well secured, lenders offer a lower interest rate on the loan. You should however see if the lower interest rate is lower enough as compared to the credit card interest rates. Compare different loan offers for arriving at suitable interest rate. All your credit card debts can be paid off through the loan. But for taking greater loan better offer high equity collateral like home to the lender. One can conveniently pay off credit card debt consolidation loan in 5 to 30 years as per his repaying capacity. Larger repayment duration enables you in regaining financial health as well. The unsecured option however is availed at a little higher interest rate and the loan is offered for a shorter repayment period. The borrower shall have to convince the lender about safe return of the loan by giving proof of annual income, steady employment and financial standing. If you are labeled bad credit the loan is available on assuring the lender about your repayment capacity and intention to pay off the loan in time. After you have paid off credit card debts, make sure that you do not fall in the debt trap again. Reduce number of credit cards in use to cut on spending. Prefer debit card which restricts spending automatically as you can not spend more than the amount in your bank account. Also take advice from debt management consultant service providers to escape future debts. Compare different credit card debt consolidation loan providers for interest rates and terms-conditions. After settling for suitable lender, apply online to him. Online lenders take little time in processing the loan and the approval therefore comes sooner. They will not charge any loan processing fee to lower further your cost on loan availing. Credit card debt consolidation loan surely lessen your debt burden by first eliminating credit card debts of high interest and then by paying lower interest on the new loan you take. The loan goes a long way in improving your financial health. Ashley Lewis has been associated with CreditCardDebtConsolidationUK.Having completed her Masters in Finance from IIPM Institute of Management. She provide useful advice through her articles that have been found very useful. To find more about unsecured credit card debt consolidation, credit card debt consolidation in uk, Credit card debt consolidation loan, credit card debt consolidation counseling, business credit card debt consolidation visit http://www.creditcarddebtconsolidationuk.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashley_Lewis

Eliminate Debt, Don't Accumulate It!

Recently a friend asked me if she should take out a cash advance on a credit card to pay for the down-payment on purchasing a house. No! Not only do banks frown on this (who really cares about that), but you are getting in debt to get into debt. Think about it. You are borrowing money to borrow money. Don't get so desperate to buy something, that you lose your mind. It is easy to do, I have been there.

How To Recognize A Serious Debt Problem

It is amazing how many people out there don't know that they are one step away from financial disaster. So many people live by the idea that they will just charge something this one time and pay for it later. They don't see that it is building up until it is too late. I know how easy it is to get into debt, but once you are there it is hard to see that financial disaster is close at hand. Here are four ways to tell you are in financial trouble: 1. If your minimum monthly credit card payments are more than 20% of your paycheck (after taxes), you are walking a tight line. For example, if you bring home $1000 a month, your credit card payments at a minimum should be no higher than $200. Your entire debt load, including your rent or mortgage, should be no greater than 30% of your gross income. If your gross monthly income is $1500, your total debt load should be under $450. Many lenders will tell you that you can afford more debt. But keep in mind that they are looking to lend you money, not save you money. 2. If you have several accounts that are delinquent, you are already in trouble. Being unable to pay your bills on time is a bright, neon sign that says you have too much debt. You have to take steps immediately to reduce your spending or increase your income. Plus, if you are charging your bills to your credit card, you are creating more debt for yourself and higher payments in the long run. This is never a good idea. There are better solutions. Find a second job or cut out the unnecessary spending. Find another way other than more debt. 3. If you can't even charge your bills because you have maxed out all of your credit cards, you are close to financial trouble. Your credit score is taking a hit as well. Lenders don't like to see you with high balances. It means that you are stretched to the limit. It can be difficult to find options, such as refinancing your mortgage to pay off high-interest debt or buying a cheaper vehicle. Plus, if you are truly maxed out, chances are that you haven't been saving anything. What will you do if you have an emergency and have no savings and no credit? 4. This one is really creative. If you are taking out cash advances to pay your credit card bill, you aren't getting anywhere at all. You are creating debt to pay debt. You aren't even breaking even here. Credit card companies charge high fees and higher interest rates for cash advances. If you find that you aren't able to make ends meet or that things are tight, it is time to make a change. You need to find ways to decrease your spending, eliminate your debt and increase your income. Once you get rid of the debt and the stress that comes with it, you will never go back again. Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Lukac

Some More GREAT Advice

I really like what Alex Jonnes has to say about debt. You can learn from him. I will be featureing more articles from him next week. I really like them and I want to share them. I encourage you to link over to his site. ********** More debt than you can afford? Creditors calling? Only making minimum payments? Auto repossession? Credit card debt? Medical bills? Thinking about bankruptcy? As a common man, you may face trouble in management of his finances when your debts are large in numbers. Your mind is occupied by all such questions. Debt consolidation management is the answer to all such questions. Consolidate debt to lower your monthly payments. If you know how to consolidate your debts, debt consolidation can be a smooth ride for you. Debt consolidation refers to combining all the existing debts simultaneously reducing the number of monthly repayments you make for your debts. How debt consolidation works? When you are paying for too many debts separately, the interest rate for each of your debts varies. This in total adds up to a big amount. On the other hand if you are paying your entire debt amount through a single monthly repayment with low rate. This not only saves your money but also reduces the hassle of calculating and paying off each debt separately. What other services can I get through these debt consolidation management companies? •Confidential Budget, Credit and Housing Counseling •Credit card debt consolidation management •Interactive Financial Education Tools for Consumers, Teachers and Industry Professionals •Debt Management Services •Bankruptcy Counseling •Bankruptcy Education Where and how to enroll for a debt consolidation management service? There are lots of debt consolidation management companies which you can search for and apply through online websites. The enrollment process just takes 15 to 30 minutes involves filling a simple application with the requisite details. These details are: personal information such as name, address and contact information, employment details such as status and income, and debt information i.e. number of debts you are carrying, total debt amount, information about the creditors. After the enrollment process The professional consultants form these debt consolidation management companies will contact you for discussion regarding the preparation of a debt consolidation management plan for you. These companies have tie ups with majority of creditors and lenders. They will contact your lenders and try to negotiate with them for reduction in interest rates and repayment term. This will help in lowering down your monthly payments. Things you should always remember A debt consolidation management can get all your debts and finances on the track and in control. But to maintain this control, you need to control and plan your spending. Measures such as lesser use of credit cards, planning a budget, making cash purchases etc can help you to avoid the debt from arising further. Alex Jonnes is associated with Easy Debt Consolidations. He is Masters in Business Administration and writes on various finance related topics. To find Debt management, debt consolidation management, bad credit personal loans, online debt consolidation loan, lowest interest rates visit http://www.easy-debt-consolidations.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Jonnes

The Motely Fool's Approach to Debt Elimination

If you want some good advice about getting out of debt and join a community of people who are beating the odds and/or are now debt free, you should check out the Motley Fool website. I originally was a member for stock tips, but as I faced a financial meltdown in 2004, I realized that there was much more to this site than I could imagine. I like quality information about debt relief, debt consolidation options. These guys know debt as well as making money. The user forum is invaluable. Check it out at: http://www.fool.com/ccc/ccc.htm You can become free from all of your unsecured debt. It really IS POSSIBLE! Keep fighting your debt. Get mad at it! -Eric

No Debts, No Worry

"One must have some sort of occupation nowadays. If I hadn't my debts I shouldn't have anything to think about." - Oscar Wilde

Unsecured Debt Consolidation?

This is new to me, I wanted to share Alex's article with you. ******************* When you are a borrower without a home or security you will not be able to get the secured loans for the purpose of debt consolidation. Banks and financial institution will reject your loan request without collateral. But debt consolidation is something which you can put on hold just because you are not getting loans. Delay will only increase the amount of debt in form of interest. So when security is the not there and you need a consolidation loan, you can rely on unsecured debt consolidation. Unsecured debt consolidation financing can help you get the benefits of a consolidation loan without letting any property to the lender. This makes non-homeowners, tenants, PG’s etc to apply for such loans with ease. With an unsecured debt consolidation loan you can repay all your existing debts. This will benefit you in form of a single monthly repayment on a low rate of interest rates. This makes the interest calculation easy enabling you to plan and manage your finances more efficiently. Debt consolidation is a wider term and unsecured debt consolidation is just a part of it. This means there are certain other steps or measures which you can follow to make the unsecured debt consolidation more effective in your situation. You can attend credit counseling, debt education sessions and take the help of debt management plans. These will teach you the ways to avoid the debt from arising further after you have cleared out your existing debts with the help of an unsecured debt consolidation loan. The interest rate on an unsecured debt consolidation loan is slightly higher than the secured option. But their faster approvals make them preferable for urgent requirements. The loan amount which you can apply for under an unsecured debt consolidation loan lies between ₤1000 to ₤25000. Based on the loan amount you get, the repayment period varies between 6 months to 10 years. As there are large number of unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders in the market. It needs lots of time and energy from you to visit each of these lenders, which is almost not possible. So you can use internet to get all the required information about the lenders. There are free loan quotes available for you on dozens of online websites. You can study and compare these quotes with the help of online comparison tools. Then you can fill the online application form for an unsecured debt consolidation loan to get benefited. An unsecured loan can not only help you get rid of those heavy debt repayments but also can give a boost to your credit score making future financing easier. Alex Jonnes is associated with Easy debt consolidation. He is Masters in Business Administration and writes on various finance related topics. To find Unsecured debt consolidation, online debt consolidation loan, debt consolidation loan bad credit UK, UK debt consolidation loan online, easy debt consolidations UK visit http://www.easy-debt-consolidations.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Jonnes

Debt Load - Digging Out of Debt

A great article by Lance Winslow: Throughout 2005 we heard of the incredible growth in consumer debt. Credit Card companies raised credit card limits of many consumers. Many folks used home equity loans to pay off credit card loan debris which was hurting their middle class perceived entitlements to have it all in advance of paying for anything. Buy, buy, buy and shop till you drop was the battle cry, yet in retrospect who is crying now? Once these consumers paid off their high-interest credit card debt with low-interest rate home equity loans they lowered their over all debt load and the interest they were paying on this debt; a once in a life-time opportunity to work their way out of debt. But instead the credit card companies showed their credit cards paid off on their credit reports and then upped their credit limits, sent them new cards with higher balances. And like any good debt ridden “give it to me now” American consumer these folks proceeded to charge it all back buying alls sorts of consumer goods, that they neither needed or had places to store. In 2006 we will not see such a rocket ship increase in home equity and in some markets we have seen a plateau in the housing market and a pull back in many other markets. In fact home foreclosures up. In Las Vegas one of the top two fastest growing housing markets for all of 2002-2005 we are seeing some 80-90 foreclosures per day. Private debt load in the United States has reached 1.2 Trillion. We saw lack luster 2005 Christmas Sales and slowing of the consumer spending, at least at the rates we saw previously. Of course some of those dollars are still being spent, yet on necessities such as gasoline and heating fuel. The over all trend in the economy will not be a negative one but you can expect fuel prices to inch back up and this credit card issue become the back breaker of many a middle class family in America. Think more on this in 2006. Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Using Credit Cards More and More

The Federal Reserve has reported that using credit cards to make payments is more prevalent than paying by check or cash. People pay their bills with credit cards. Groceries, gas, the light bill, etc. This is frightening to me. The average household has around $10,000 of credit card debt! That is debt that is unsecured and was used to buy things that could not be sold to repay the debt. This is dangerous debt. It is too easy to take the credit card out and make a purchase. If you had to pay with cash, you would not buy the same item you just put on plastic. Simple. The bottom-line is that you really can't afford to buy the item, so you should not buy it. The other horrible statistic that I just read is that people are paying less of their debt down over time. They make the minimum payments. So the interest that people are paying over time is eating away at their bottom-line. People have become trapped in a credit card nightmare that will not go away. So again, we need services like debt elimination, debt consolidation, and credit counseling. Sad, but true.

Consumer Debt Gone Mad

WASHINGTON (Reuters) says "U.S. consumer credit rose by a smaller-than-expected $5.54 billion in July." What? 5.54 billion is 2 billion less than expected? Guess how much it increased by in June? $14.11 billion in June. As of July we are sitting at $2.350 trillion dollars of consumer debt. Credit cards and charge cards (revolving credit) represents $840.8 billion of this multi-trillion dollar travesty. In June the rate of increase of people relying on credit cards went up by a whopping 14%. And you wonder why we have debt consolidation, debt elimination, and a myriad of other programs. We need them!

Going to Post More Often About Debt

I have not posted as often as I should on this blog. It is hard to keep up with blogging. This is not my only bog. I will be posting several posts a week about things I have learned about debt. I will share good and bad experiences people have had with credit cards. I am also opening up the comment box, so I can hear about other people's triumps and failures. We can all learn from each other.

Any Credit Card can be BIG Trouble

If you have a Visa or Mastercard, American Express or a Discover card, you could be headed for potential trouble. Big trouble. Whether you have a low rate from Capital One, or a large balance on Chase, you are either in debt or have great potential. Your introductory rate that Citibank offered you is not really that ATTRACTIVE if you consider the damage it could do. Get rid of them if you know you might use them often. Get rid of them if you think that they are the ticket to furnishing your house. Your rate may be low, but one missed payment by just hours may send your rate right up there. There is more fine print in a credit card agreement than most legal documents I have signed. This is what the fine print says: We will take advantage of every mistake you make and then gladly send you into debt consolidation, debt settlement or bankruptcy if we need to. Brutal but true.