Does anyone know how to find a credit non-counselor?

I have bad credit from old debts (but not a ton of debt), and my girlfriend is building credit. We are looking for someone we can go to who can tell us the right moves to make for me to repair my credit, and to build hers, but not tell us how to "budget" which is not a problem (which seems to be the primary function of "credit counselors")...someone who knows which credit cards to apply for, which things I should pay off first, what I should leave alone, etc, to make the fastest improvements. I would love it if there was someone I could speak to face to face...I am in L.A. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. Try the local bank and see if they have a financial advisor they are often free.
2. I can give you some tips from my experiences and talking with attorney friends and the like. Utilities, electric, phone, and the like will mess up your credit in a heartbeat. Take your total debt and names of creditors, and the total amounts owed to each. Worst thing in the world is to not pay something, anything on a bill. Contact everyone you owe and negotiate. With the new bankruptcy laws it is not as effective a tool to threaten to declare bankruptcy as your slate is not wiped clean as in the past. That being said anyone you owe knows where they will be on the repay list by law. Call all your creditors and make arrangements to pay them whatever fits into your budget. In my (and others) experiences most creditors will work with you as what they want is their money back. In some cases (like credit card or revolving charge debts) will accept "interest only payments" for a short period of time 6-9 months or so. If you have mitigating circumstances (loss of job or demotion for example) most institutions will cut you some slack. Just ensure you contact all creditors and pay something on your debt to each and every month. Ignoring one debt to pay "the minimum amount" on others will just get you into trouble as most companies change your interest rate to the "default rate" if you are late on any debts. So, collect the data and start making contacts. Be pleasant and explain your situation and ask if you can negotiate the repayment. As to credit cards to apply for usually a store/gas station credit card are the easiest to obtain. Getting a "secured credit card" is another way to go. You deposit say e.g. $100 in one of the institutions (see link below) and that is your credit limit. Make small purchases monthly (that you are positive you can repay) and pay off the balances. When you get a bit more money then deposit additional funds to increase your credit limit. Then make a larger ticket item purchase that your payments will be spread out over 3-4 months. This shows your abilitty to repay monthly and also your ability to repay over a few months time both of which will increase your credit score. Ditto for store/gas credit cards. Charge only what you can pay off in a month comfortably. It will take some time but you didn't mess up your credit in a day. No splurging. Stay within the budget guidelines you set. The last link is to the California Bar Assn. which has educational pamphlets and self help sections. Best of luck to you and hope this info is useful. I got myself jammed up in 1993 in the same way but climbed out just how I explained it and now my credit score is in the 800 range.
3. Check out the free evaluation form at www.totaldebtsolutionsllc.com They can help; won't tell you how to budget either.