Money Worries? Get A.C.T.IVE

ABA Education Foundation's Get Smart about Credit Program Motivates
Consumers

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To help consumers combat
feelings of powerlessness common during an economic crisis, the ABA
Education Foundation is encouraging consumers to stay A.C.T.IVE by taking
the A.C.T. Credit Pledge.

The A.C.T. Credit Pledge is part of the Get Smart About Credit program
and calls on consumers to:

A- Assess your debt by using your credit report to find out how much
you owe. Often consumers, forgetting to include student and car loans, owe
more than they thought. Your credit report will give you the exact amount.


C- Check your credit report for errors. If you find errors, contact the
credit reporting agency and request a correction. With lending standards
tightening, consumers will need to have a good to excellent credit score to
get a loan.

T- Take the information and create a plan. Set up a budget along with a
payment plan to help pay down debt. Consider increasing payments to lower
debt faster and avoid financing charges.

"During tough economic, those with the most debt buckle first,"
explains Laura Fisher, ABA Education Foundation director. "Address your
fears head on by taking a look at your debt level and credit habits. The
A.C.T. Credit Pledge is a move out of neutral into drive."

Consumers can download and sign the A.C.T. Credit Pledge as a physical
symbol of their commitment. The new pledge is part of the Get Smart About
Credit program, which includes the annual Get Smart About Credit Day, to be
held this year on Oct. 16. An estimated 90,000 young people will learn the
dos and don'ts of credit when thousands of bankers visit classrooms across
the country.

Declaring that now is the time for financial literacy, Fisher added
that even in a healthy economy, people without personal finance skills
often idle in neutral.