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I M In Your Pocket

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Valentine's Day is like Christmas for beautiful, successful or charismatic people. If you happen to be all three, every day is like Christmas Day (perhaps with fewer presents). For the rest of us, it's a chance to gauge our possession of the above qualities, or at least to see how good a job we have done of convincing others that we have them. And like all good surveys, respondents remain anonymous and therefore get to express their opinions without prejudice or fear of undue commitment.

So, what is a respectable number of Valentine's cards and presents to get? One or fewer and you're not trying hard enough. If you're in a relationship, the best number is of course two. One is presumably from your other half, the other keeps them guessing; especially if you have disguised your handwriting well enough. But if the post office has to charter a delivery truck especially for your Valentine's presents and cards, it would be safe to assume that the senders do not occupy the most sincere end of the spectrum, so they don't count.

One of the most curious aspects of Valentine's presents and cards is that they must remain anonymous. This is quite senseless. If you buy something great, you want the recipient to at least know who it's from. Only lousy gift and card buyers benefit from remaining unknown, and let's face it, they probably needn't bother anyway. Unless you include a few genuine hints as to your identity, you are wasting your time, and what can be sadder then that? History must be littered with these submarines that pass in the night, these lost opportunities to become committed to the person who has flashed none-too-subtle amorous glances across office floor, biology lab, air-raid shelter and platform three.

So now we've established the futility of anonymity, it's time to drag Valentine's Day into the information age. In fact, let's find the exact opposite of anonymity and put our generation's stamp on it. And what is the opposite of anonymity? Personalization! Let's make the near future the era of requited love, returned amour, banished bashfulness and unfettered romance.

With February 14th looming, you really need to start looking for that special item that leaves its swooning recipient in no doubt about its origin.

If you're already in a relationship, why not treat yourselves to one of the many gifts for two, such as a tour of a vineyard or a barge trip down the Thames? Plus there are countless trinkets and keepsakes to remind your special one that you're always around, especially when you can have your name or theirs indelibly printed on it.

For worshippers from afar, you can really use your imagination. Have a look for something that will trigger a memory (however dimly remembered) of the time when the chemistry between you was first mixed in the test tube of love. So if it was at a cheesy nightclub during the Christmas do, how about a USB mirror ball for his computer? If you met at a Mexican restaurant, a grow-your-own chilli kit will leave her in no doubt who sent it?

I M In Your Pocket

Here, we take a look at just four debt solutions: debt management; debt consolidation loans; IVAs (Individual Voluntary Arrangements) and Trust Deeds. To some people, they're just names – but to others, they're a path back to financial stability. So how do they work? What's the difference between them? Perhaps most important: which one could be right for me?

Let's start with debt management.

Basically, debt management means negotiating with creditors, asking them to agree to a few changes to the repayment terms. It's easy for your circumstances to change in ways that mean you simply can't keep up with payments as originally agreed. You may have lost your job, had a baby, or seen your mortgage payments shoot up. Or maybe your debts simply got out of control.

Whatever the reason, it's in your creditors' interest (as well as yours) to find a realistic way for you to repay your debts, and a professional debt management organisation can help make that happen. They can contact your creditors on your behalf, asking them to consider things like accepting lower payments, freezing interest and waiving charges. So debt management might mean your debt takes longer to pay off (because you're paying it back more slowly), but it can keep it from escalating out of control.

Who debt management is right for: people who can't keep up with monthly payments to their unsecured debts.

Next: debt consolidation loans.

Rather than struggling to keep up multiple payments to multiple debts, many people choose to consolidate their debts – taking out a debt consolidation loan that's big enough to pay them all off. This means they'll only have one payment to make per month, reducing the risk of missing payments (and the charges and damage to their credit rating that can result).

Plus, a debt consolidation loan can come with a lower interest rate than many other forms of unsecured credit. It can also give the individual the chance to think about their finances and arrange to repay the debt consolidation loan at a rate they can afford – again, repaying a debt more slowly will mean it takes longer to pay off and can end up costing more, so it's vital to weigh up the pros and cons before proceeding.

Who debt consolidation is right for: people who want / need to reduce their monthly payments.

Third: IVAs.

A form of insolvency, an IVA is a legally binding agreement between a borrower and their creditors. If you owe around £15,000 or more to multiple unsecured creditors, an Insolvency Practitioner (IP) can tell you whether an IVA might be the best way for you to get out of debt. If they think it is, they can draw up an ‘IVA proposal', detailing how much you can afford to pay towards your debts every month for the next (normally) five years, once you've taken your essential expenses into account.

If enough of your creditors agree, the IVA can start. You'll agree to make those monthly payments (and possibly free up some equity in your home, if you're a homeowner), and they'll agree to freeze your debt, hold off on any legal action (such as trying to make you bankrupt) and write off any outstanding debt once the IVA has successfully concluded. Please note: an IVA will have a serious impact on your credit rating, potentially making it harder to borrow money for the next six years.

Who an IVA is right for: people who owe three or more unsecured creditors a total of around £15,000 or more and can't afford their monthly repayments – but can afford regular smaller payments.

Fourth: Trust Deeds.

A Trust Deed is similar to an IVA, but only available to residents of Scotland. In most cases, a Trust Deed will last for three years.

Who a Trust Deed is right for: residents of Scotland who owe three or more unsecured creditors a total of around £10,000 or more and can't afford their monthly repayments – but can afford regular smaller payments.

Finally, no debt solution is ‘right' for everyone. If you're in debt, it's vital to talk to a debt specialist who understands all the available debt solutions and can help you choose the one that's right for you.

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About Author

Both C Hanker & Melanie Taylor are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

C Hanker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Wedding Gifts, Arts. Unique high quality & personalized gifts at affordable prices, delivered quickly and guaranteed with a smile.. C Hanker's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.

Melanie Taylor has sinced written about articles on various topics from Free Credit Report Score, Anger Control and Credit Cards. Read more about ,

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