Bill Hardekopf Quotations

If it's not back there by the due date, you can go into a default rate here very quickly. If you miss a couple of payments, you can be charged a default rate, which can be up to 28 percent.

There are so many different options for consumers that didn't exist 20 years ago.

Many families are frustrated and overwhelmed by working hard only to see their debt grow instead of their savings. This is a large group of people who are one late payment away from receiving punitive default rates of almost 30% on credit cards and other loans. If you are at the edge, default rates will be devastating. If your credit card bill comes at the end of the month when there is no money left, contact your credit card company to change your billing schedule to fit with your pay schedule.

The quality of the phone call with small carriers is the same, you just haven't heard about these companies because they don't spend a lot of money marketing themselves.

We think the market will change quite a bit.

We don't think this is a good thing for consumers. The telecom industry has exploded, in terms of growth and options, and now AT&T will be even bigger and more powerful than it was.

Voice Over Internet Protocol has become a media and technology favorite, portrayed as the service that sends local and long distance carriers into extinction.

We are watching AT&T be reconstructed again right in front of our eyes. If the FCC is going to allow this to happen, you have to ask why they broke them up in the first place.

Every person who pays off their credit card in full each month should be using a credit card that gives a rebate or a reward. Otherwise, you are being economically foolish. Some of these cards pay you a significant cash rebate just for using the card.

Some people still don't realize how much and how easily they can save on their long-distance bills.

As a consumer, make sure you read the dreaded terms and conditions of the card so you know what you're in for.

This is definitely not good for competition. A number of consumer groups including Consumer's Union and the Consumer Federation of America plan to ask the Justice Department to reject the merger and we tend to agree with them. We are watching AT&T be reconstructed again right in front of our eyes. If the FCC is going to allow this to happen you have to ask why they broke them up in the first place.

No matter who you go with, the services are going to be about the same. It comes down to your calling patterns, what your in-state rates are and the billing increments.

It used to be 25 days. A number of them have gone to 20 days.

The largest carriers have raised rates each and every month this year. Instead of increasing across the board they have been increasing rates for one plan one month and another the next month.

If you expect to receive a tax refund or a bonus in the next year, transfer your balance to a card with 0% APR on balance transfers for 12 months. Extra money from tax refunds, gifts and bonuses can help significantly in paying down the balance.

In 95 percent of the country, it probably works great, and if you use your minutes correctly it's a great deal.

Come the end of the month you might see some nice incentives for carriers who want current customers to extend their contracts.

These households have probably gone through budget shock--as their balances have risen, the interest rates have also increased every few months and the minimum payment percentage has just increased. The average APR is now above 13%, so carrying that balance is getting very expensive. The average household is paying over $700 per year in interest for credit cards.

These households have probably gone through budget shock -- as their balances have risen, the interest rates have also increased every few months and the minimum payment percentage has just increased. The average APR is now above 13%, so carrying that balance is getting very expensive. The average household is paying over $700 per year in interest for credit cards.

The card does have some good attributes, but consumers need to be cautious and know what they're getting into. They really need to dive into the terms and conditions.