In order to achieve your definition of success, you have to set goals. Without clearly defined goals, you are likely to find yourself stuck in one place.

When you are ready to make a commitment, use the following tips to set your financial and personal goals:

1. Goals must be written down. Goals that are not written down are merely dreams or wishes. Writing down a goal makes it real.
2. Goals must be your own. If you borrow a goal from someone else, the true power of commitment may be lacking from your plan.
3. Goals must have real benefits. A goal must be able to answer the question: “What’s in it for me?” If there are no real benefits from the trip, then why take it in the first place?
4. Goals must allow you to change. Going someplace means that things are going to be different when you get there. A goal must allow you to reach out, to stretch and grow.
5. Goals must contain a deadline. If your goal doesn’t have a deadline, you’ll never know for sure when you’ve arrived – or if you’ve arrived. Without a deadline, you really don’t have a goal.

Once you determine what you want by setting goals, you will need to develop a plan for how you are going to reach them. You wouldn’t want to be on a ship in the middle of the ocean with a captain who hasn’t charted his course, would you?

Financial Freedom’s 9Steps2Wealth System goes into more detail on how to set goals and develop a plan to reach them. The self-study program walks you through creating a spending plan, getting out of debt, developing a financial philosophy, improving your quality of life, and planning for retirement.

If you prefer more personal contact and direction, PayAccel can help you meet your goals with a plan that fits your busy lifestyle while achieving financial freedom, security, and wealth. PayAccel allows you to achieve your goals by accelerating debt elimination and wealth building. A personal coach will ensure your success and hold your hand every step of the way.

Once you have clearly defined goals and a plan in place, you’ll be well on your way to achieving financial freedom.

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 entitles consumers to one free copy of their credit report per year from one of the three major credit reporting bureaus - Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. Many sites have since popped up as “alternatives” to annualcreditreport.com, and they market themselves aggressively to consumers.

The WebWatch report found that consumers who knowingly use the alternative sites in conjunction with annualcreditreport.com may find their services valuable. However, consumers using the alternative sites because of confusion about annualcreditreport.com may end up paying needlessly for something they are entitled by law to receive for free, or paying more than necessary for credit scores.

The report summarizes, “Based on an analysis of 58 offers made on 24 alternative sites, we conclude that the enticement of free credit reports and free credit scores is an integral part of the marketing of credit-related services. The most common offer (57% of the 58 offers analyzed) provides one or more free credit reports and one or more free credit scores with the purchase of a credit monitoring service. The second most common offer (15% of the remaining) involves access to a free credit scores with the purchase of three credit reports. Some of these uses of the term “free” may be inconsistent with the regulatory guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission and the self-regulatory standards of the Better Business Bureau.”

For more information, read the complete report. Remember, the best site to visit to receive a free credit report is the U.S. government site, annualcreditreport.com.

Financial Freedom’s Credit Enhancing Program offers monthly coaching sessions if you find that you need to get your credit back on track. You can receive an in-depth credit report analysis, and will be coached through the steps you need to take to improve your credit. Also, the Credit Correction Kit is a do-it-yourself guide to reading and correcting information on your credit report.

In 2001 the Federal Reserve slashed interested rates 11 times, dropping the key lending rate dramatically. As a result, demand increased across the country and home prices rose very quickly in hot spots like California and Florida. Then, from 2004 to 2006, 17 interest rate hikes started to take their toll. The higher rates particularly affected Americans who had purchased homes with an adjustable rate mortgage.

In 2007, foreclosures have soared, up 93 percent from one year ago. The subprime mortgage crisis is affecting the financial industry on an international scale, and the Federal Reserve recently cut the interest rate at which they lend to banks to try to keep credit flowing.

The Mortgage Bankers Association expects home sales to decline this year as lenders make it more difficult to get mortgages approved. Mortgage originators have tightened underwriting standards in response to mounting defaults and foreclosures on loans to borrowers with blemished credit histories.

The best way to avoid a subprime mortgage is to improve your credit rating and ensure you are in a good financial position to pay any loan you acquire. Improve your credit rating by paying your bills on time, paying down your debts, and participating in credit counseling. Credit Enhancement Coaching from Financial Freedom can help you accomplish these goals by analyzing and then helping you directly improve your credit report.

If you are currently renting but seeking homeownership, Financial Freedom’s Lease to Own Program is for you. If you have poor credit or lack money for a downpayment, this program will help you avoid a subprime mortgage. An investor will purchase a home that you can lease for 12 months while Financial Freedom helps you prepare for homeownership.

“My husband and I are retired, and it feels wonderful to be financially stable,” says Leona. “Once you are a part of the PayAccel program, you’ll want to use it for the rest of your life. It’s amazing how much it has helped us get ahead.”

PayAccel first taught Leona and her husband, who live in Orem, Utah, how to organize their money. They participated in financial training and then put a predetermined amount of money into an account each month. Then Financial Freedom uses that money to pay their bills. They can use the rest of their income to meet their wants and needs, knowing the bills have been paid.

“I love waking up and not worrying about how I’m going to take care of the bills. After a few years on PayAccel we are out of debt and simply use the program to pay our few remaining bills like the mortgage and utilities.”

Leona says she and her husband have always loved to buy things. She believes they would be in debt without the PayAccel program. But thanks to Financial Freedom’s help in organizing their finances, they have a nice home and a lot of nice things, but without the credit card bills.

“Without PayAccel, we would probably still have nice things, but we would be in debt,” says Leona. “My husband and I both love to spend money, so we never balanced each other out very well in that area. This program helps us live within our means and has eliminated disagreements about who spent too much money on something.”

When Leona started using PayAccel, her credit score was very low. Now, she and her husband have a great credit score, which was one goal they had when they began the program. She says they don’t make a lot of money, so having good credit and staying in control of their finances is essential to their happiness.

“Some of our friends have also joined PayAccel and we all agree - having peace regarding your finances is a wonderful thing.”

Proof of the pitfalls of “buy now, buy later” is all around us. Loan defaults and bankruptcies are everywhere. Nearly everyone has felt the pressure of “over-extending” themselves sometime in their life. Compulsive purchasing leads to compulsive debt and endangers personal and family well being, peace of mind and security.

There is always a place for the proper use of credit in our society. Carefully managed credit is a powerful and useful tool. When used wisely, credit can be very effective in building businesses, cities and creating new jobs. But unmanaged credit quickly becomes out-of-control debt. When it reaches this point it can become harmful and even devastating.

Although at times it can seem impossible to eliminate the burden of debt from your life, there is hope. Your desire to be debt free must be strong enough to overcome the pain of tightening up and sometimes going without.

You do have the power within you to make those financial changes necessary to establish new habits based on proven, successful money management fundamentals. It may seem like too big a change, too big a challenge. But big things often have small beginnings, and the best time to begin is right now.

The Financial Freedom PayAccel program will help you pay off various types of debt and then remain debt-free. You can also purchase the 9Steps2Wealth system to get back on track financially.

“As these ads so powerfully underscore, doing nothing is the worst thing a delinquent borrower can do,” Dugan said at a symposium on preventing foreclosures. “The sooner borrowers reach out for help, the more options they have, and the more likely foreclosure may be avoided.”

Dugan noted that in half of all foreclosures, lenders say borrowers did not make contact with them. Yet, more than one-third of those who reach out for assistance are successful in finding alternatives to foreclosure.

“All of this means that many of the 1.26 million borrowers who entered foreclosure last year might have been helped if they had acted earlier to contact their lender, or consult a trusted housing counselor,” said Dugan.

Dugan encourages homeowners experiencing financial difficulties to call 1-888-995-HOPE, a toll-free hotline staffed by 85 qualified housing counselors from agencies approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs.

“We have learned that it is not enough to achieve homeownership,” said Dugan. “We - all of us operating in our respective roles - have to work hard to sustain homeownership.”

Financial Freedom can help you avoid foreclosure and get your finances on track through PayAccel, the 9Steps2Wealth program, and the PayAccel HELOC (Mortgage Eliminator).

“I needed someone to help me learn how to manage my finances so I can pay off my house,” says Arlyne. “I don’t want to have anything to worry about, and I want to leave the earth debt free so my kids won’t have to worry about paying any of my bills.”

Arlyne has a 30 year mortgage, but she’s hoping to pay it off in just 9 or 10 years. The Mortgage Eliminator collects all of her income and savings into one account. Then Arlyne pays all of her expenses with a credit card during the interest free period. At the end of the month she pays the credit card bill, but the principal balance of her loan has been reduced by leaving money in the Mortgage Eliminator account for as long as possible.

“I’ve learned how to use other people’s money to my advantage, while I save my own money,” says Arlyne. “I feel so much better now that I am paying my debts - those credit cards can really choke you.”

Spending less than you make is the key, since the Mortgage Eliminator builds on how much money you can save. A financial counselor helps Arlyne with her spending plan, paying down her mortgage, and staying on track when she needs help or encouragement. The first principle the financial counselor taught Arlyne was that the more she could save, the more they could put in her Mortgage Eliminator account to pay down her mortgage principle.

Arlyne says she enjoys talking to her coach, who has helped her understand the big picture regarding her finances. Arlyne also says her coach helped her learn how to manage her finances online, since she wasn’t very comfortable with a computer.

“The Mortgage Eliminator program is teaching me how to be more money wise, making me more conscious of my spending habits,” says Arlyne. “It is a great program and I would recommend it to anybody.”

The Mortgage Eliminator can help you pay your home loan off faster, which means you pay less interest, build equity faster, and can access that equity for your personal needs. For more information on how you can pay off your mortgage in one third of the time, read about PayAccel HELOC (Mortgage Eliminator) here.

A spending plan allows you to prepare, so you can enjoy the things you want while staying within your means. So when you spend money going to the movies, or on a date, you know you won’t be spending more than you should – which is liberating instead of restrictive.

People who are in control of their finances are people who can account for their money. They plan ahead for needed cash and reserve money for planned and unplanned expenses. The sad truth is that most families live paycheck to paycheck with no spending plan, no monthly accountability, no savings plan, and no idea of how or when they are going to get out of debt.

Until your plans and goals are expressed in a written spending plan and your monthly income and expenditures are accurately recorded, you will be unlikely to achieve your financial goals. The longer you procrastinate developing a practical, working spending plan, the longer you deny yourself the peace of mind that comes with being in control of your finances.

A good spending plan depends on thorough planning and understanding your individual needs. Start by evaluating your personal and family financial records so you know how much you have been spending and where you have been spending it. Determine your total income and total expenses. If your income exceeds your expenses, great – but you can still improve your financial stability and reduce debt quickly through an effective spending plan.

If your expenses exceed your income, you can develop a spending plan that will separate “wants” from “needs.” You will need to develop good money management habits by planning and putting forth a great deal of effort, but in the end you’ll be on the path to financial freedom.

You can find more detailed information on developing a spending plan and many other topics through the 9Steps2Wealth System.

Just four years ago, only four states gave consumers the right to freeze their credit files. Today, 35 states allow credit freezes, and 8 allow them for victims of identify theft.

A “security freeze” means your credit file cannot be shared with potential creditors and no one can open any form of credit in your name. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get credit for yourself. You can lift the freeze when necessary using a personal identification number.

So if your credit files are frozen, even someone who has your name, birthday and Social Security number should not be able to get credit in your name. In exchange for this added security, it will take slightly longer to get your own new credit approvals.

One step down from a credit freeze is a “fraud alert.” Residents of any state can ask the three major credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on their credit reports, which is supposed to alert you and ask your permission when someone applies for credit in your name. Creditors, however, aren’t required to abide by or even check the alert.

Using credit freezes or fraud alerts are a matter of personal choice, but keep them in mind as an option if you would like to protect your private information and guard against credit theft.

Click here to find out your state’s policy on credit freezes and how to get a freeze initiated.

Financial Freedom can help you gain control of your credit through the Credit File Correction Kit.