In This Issue:  Tip of the Month  Monthly Poll  Interactive Tool  Featured Products  Did You Know?

Equifax is delighted to introduce our new product that helps you take control so that you can get out of debt: Debt Wise. Debt Wise is not a debt consolidation tool or a budget tracker; instead, it pulls information from your Equifax Credit Report™ so that you can create a manageable, flexible payment plan for paying off your debts faster — and possibly save lots of money in interest if you stick to your plan! Find out more about Debt Wise and how it works!

How does it work?
At the heart of Debt Wise is your Fast Pay Plan: a personalized debt payoff plan that shows you how you can pay down your debts more quickly and potentially save big in interest. How? Well, that's where the Fast Pay Plan Wizard comes in. The Fast Pay Plan Wizard imports the debts that are listed in your Equifax Credit Report. You decide which debts you want to include, and you can even include debts that do not appear on your credit report. That means that you can have your plan set up in as little as 10 minutes! Once you complete the necessary information, the Wizard calculates an optimal order in which to pay off your debts and applies a payment strategy known as “debt stacking” to help you see how you can pay your debts off faster. Click here to learn more about Debt Wise's debt stacking strategy.

It's confidential.
Debt Wise is completely confidential. You can customize and edit your Fast Pay Plan in the comfort of your home without having to share your information with strangers. And, with Equifax, you know you're using a company that has been trusted with personal information for over a century.

Other Features:
Debt Wise offers so much more than a plan for paying off your debts. It also helps you track if you're on or off plan, lets you know the exact date you'll be debt free if you stick to your plan and don't incur additional debts, alerts you when you've paid off an account, as well as alerting you to any key changes in your Equifax credit file. It also features educational Spend Right tools to help you stay on track.

You can also take advantage of the Commitment Calculator, a tool that allows you to see how dedicating additional amounts toward paying your debts could affect your debt freedom date. Finally, you'll receive 4 FICO^® Score reports every 12 months at no additional cost — a value of over $60! So why wait? In as little as 10 minutes, you could be on the road to debt freedom.

Tip of the Month: Setting Up Your Debt Wise Plan

Debt Wise is a unique product that accesses the information in your Equifax Credit Report. This means much of the information you need for your Fast Pay Plan will be input for you without you lifting a finger. Adding any remaining information and customizing your plan can take as little as ten minutes, getting you on track quickly and easily. There are a few things to know that will help you set up your plan as accurately as possible.

When you review your plan, there may be debts you don't recognize. These may be debts you're familiar with under different names used for credit reporting. Try to match up your balances or account numbers to determine which debt it is. If you still can't determine which of your loans it is, call the lender. It's important to know that each of your debts is accounted for and to check their accuracy.

Additionally, if there are any debts — such as personal debts — that do not show up on your Equifax Credit Report, you can add these to your Fast Pay Plan as well. Your Fast Pay Plan Wizard will guide you through the steps to do so, and you'll need to manually update those accounts monthly.

Want to know what's being reported about you? Log into the Member Center to check your most recent credit report — or even obtain a new one!

This Month’s Poll Question: When Will You Be Debt Free?

For many of us, debt can seem like an unavoidable part of life. But it doesn't have to last forever — even if it sometimes feels that way. Let us know when you think you may be debt free.^†† And remember, you're not alone. Be sure to check back next month to find out what other newsletter readers' debt timelines look like.

Interactive Tool: Net Worth Calculator

Featured Product: Debt Wise*™ — only $14.95 a month!

Introducing Debt Wise — new from Equifax! Debt Wise is a unique product that gives you the power to get out of debt. What's the right strategy to pay off your debts? Debt Wise shows you the way, by helping you create a customized, achievable debt payment plan that puts YOU in control. Debt Wise includes these great features:

• The Fast Pay Plan Wizard makes setting up your plan simple and flexible
• Monitoring and Alerts help you know if you are on or off plan, when you've paid off an account, or if there are any key changes to your Equifax credit file
• The Commitment Calculator lets you see how you could get out of debt faster based on the amount you are able to pay towards your debts. (Coming Soon!)
• Spend Right Tools help you stay on track
• Four FICO^® Scores every 12 months at no additional cost — a value of over $60!

Get started in as little as 10 minutes from the privacy of your home for only $14.95 a month!

Did You Know?: 3 Ways to Save Your Savings**

Savings rates have seen better days. But that doesn't mean there aren't attractive rates out there to work with. In the current economy, saving should be a top priority. You never know when you may need to rely on your savings to temporarily replace a regular paycheck or pay for an unexpected expense. You can also use your interest earnings to help offset the increasing cost of living overall.

1. Aim high. Search wide.
   To maximize your savings efforts, find the highest possible interest rate on your savings account. A quick way to compare similar savings products and find really great promotions at various financial institutions is to check out online rate comparison tables. With just a few clicks, you can compare the rates being offered on various regular and promotional savings products from a handful of different banks and credit unions. You should also consider a few different types of savings products. The best rate may be on a savings, checking, or money market account, so review all three options to find the most attractive offer for you.
2. Contribute regularly.
   Interest earnings will always accumulate faster if the interest rate is being applied to a larger amount of money. If your savings product allows you to contribute additional funds, you should schedule regular deposits. Make things even easier and schedule automatic transfers or direct deposits from your paycheck or checking account.
   
   If you choose to use certificates of deposit (CDs), consider laddering them to ensure your funds remain relatively available. CD laddering allows you to take advantage of the higher yields (of longer term CDs) while still allowing your funds to remain relatively flexible (using short-term CDs).
3. Know your risk exposure.
   It's important to realize that you're not alone. There are government organizations and guidelines in place to safeguard you and your finances, but you should be fully aware of their limitations. For instance, make sure your accounts are fully FDIC-insured. For most, the FDIC now covers up to $250,000 per depositor per financial institution. For full details about FDIC insurance, please refer to the FDIC Web site located at http://www.fdic.gov.

** © Copyright 2009, Informa Research Services, Inc. ("Informa"). While all attempts have been made to provide effective, verifiable information in this article, neither the author nor Informa assumes any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, or omissions. You should always seek the guidance of a licensed professional before making any major financial decisions.