Thinking of using a CRO?

[pryan67]

It's that time again...I've been reading lots of posts about CROs....so here's my rant of the day

 

 

 

We've all seen the posts..."I'm too busy. I don't have time for this. I just want to pay someone to fix my reports for me."

 

 

I also understand that you're busy...we all are...but EVERYONE has time for this. Print out a dozen threads and read them while you eat lunch at work, print out more of them and read them while on the toilet. Read more while you're making dinner. While you're in bed, instead of watching "Desperate Stars Dancing with the Sopranos", read some more. Absorb it like a sponge. It doesn't take more than a few minutes to read most threads, and in your spare moments during the day, you could read dozens of threads, make notes concerning what you have questions about, then come back online and ask them. Repeat that the next day.

 

I can understand being overwhelmed...there's a lot of information here. If there weren't, this site wouldn't be as effective. There are views here that appear to conflict with one another...I understand that too...but that's because all of us have had different opinions as to how to go about this. We all have different situations to deal with, and there's no one size fits all solution. It's similar to cooking. IF you're making dinner, it's being done differently than I'm making dinner. We're making different things, for different people. That doesn't mean that you can't teach me how to make what you are, or that I can't teach you how to make what I am. It also doesn't mean that either one of us is "right" or "wrong". We're just doing things a little differently.

 

 

but let's look at the overall concept of paying someone to "repair" your credit from a parenting standpoint

 

 

I don't know if you have kids, or if they're of school age or not...but if they are. Do you do their homework for them because they're too busy? Of course not. Because you realize that they NEED that basic foundation in order to succeed in school and life in general

 

Same goes for credit repair. While we could likely look at your reports, write your letters for you, do everything but mail them (and even do that for you), how would you KNOW what's going on with it, and how would you learn the process for the future?

 

One of the MOST important things people learn by doing it themselves is to NEVER get in the same situation again. Most people succeed at that, some (very few) fail. Those that succeed can take the knowledge they've gained here and apply it to other parts of their lives. Those that fail typically come back here and ask for help again, and they get it...and hopefully they'll REALLY learn this time. If not, we're still here for them all.

 

Anyone that's gone through the process works hard to avoid getting too heavily into debt again, they avoid missing payments, and they learn to manage their finances.

 

The feeling of accomplishment you'll have when you get your first, and all subsequent baddies deleted (especially the last one) can't be described. Imagine wanting a new car...seeing an ad for zero percent financing on the EXACT car you want. You can afford the payments....but you know that you'd NEVER qualify for the zero percent. All of us know how that feels.

 

Now...imagine working hard on your reports in your spare time (and EVERYONE has spare time) and cleaning them up...whenyou see that ad, you can say "Let's go kids, Momma's buying a new car today" and drive home in it...at zero percent.

 

If you have some stranger "fix" your reports (and they don't do nearly as good a job as you'd do yourself), MAYBE you'll still qualify for that financing...after spending thousands on it...at that point...how much are you saving? Not all that much, right?

 

 

Now let's look at it from the perspective of quality. Who do you think cares more about fixing your reports? Yourself, or some secretary that fires off boilerplate dispute letters to the CRAs in the hopes that the negative (And sometimes the positive) tradelines are deleted? Who can decide better what items should be deleted, and which should stay? Who CARES more? The CRO gets paid no matter what...if not by you, then by the next person that THINKS they "don't have time" or that it's "too hard", or "too confusing". YOU get "paid" not only in the money you save by NOT using the CRO, but in the sense of pride in having done it yourself.

 

Many of us here COULD charge for this...we choose not to. Not only for legal reasons, but because we've BEEN there. We KNOW what it's like to be embarrassed when we can't rent a car because we don't have credit cards. We KNOW how it feels to not be able to finance a stick of gum. ALL of us have been there, done that, and FINALLY, we can finance the t-shirt.

 

 

As a community, we don't suggest using one. For one thing, you're giving your personal, private data to a complete stranger...and what's to stop them from taking that info after they've "cleaned" your reports and using it for ID theft? Think that won't happen? Are you willing to bet your financial future on it?

 

 

IF you have questions, please ask. if you don't get a response, bump the post to the top...and ask more questions if you don't understand it. there are lots of us that TRY to read almost every post here...and respond to many of them, but sometimes they get missed. don't hesitate to ask specific people in your post for advice...I, myself, search for my user name on at least a daily basis...in case someone does that...and I know that others here do as well.

 

If you INSIST on spending the money a CRO will charge you, put it into an account each month and use it for CMRRR, or apply it to a "Day off" work, so you can spend it here. If you don't want to do that, donate it to your favorite charity. But PLEASE don't waste it on a CRO. There's NOTHING they can do that you can't do better, faster, and with more reliability on your own

Edited July 10, 2007 by pryan67

[Guest mixedup]

Great Post Pryan!!!

[ButtersMom]

Another early bird? LOL Good morning!

 

Nicely stated - I've always said I learn better by doing, and you're so much more appreciative I think after doing it yourself. I plan on doing this for my Mom in a few months. My brother is amazed at how much I've learned in the past month (less than even). I'm well into the 700's, pages that is, of this particular forum. Reading "til my eyes bleed" LOL THAT's the way to do it.

 

Thanks again CB for a much needed education!

[pryan67]

Another early bird? LOL Good morning!

 

Nicely stated - I've always said I learn better by doing, and you're so much more appreciative I think after doing it yourself. I plan on doing this for my Mom in a few months. My brother is amazed at how much I've learned in the past month (less than even). I'm well into the 700's, pages that is, of this particular forum. Reading "til my eyes bleed" LOL THAT's the way to do it.

 

Thanks again CB for a much needed education!

 

"early"? *LOL* Heck, I've been on the train over an hour already...

[ReallyFocused]

Great post. I, too, have learned so much from these boards. I also get frustrated and want to throw in the towel sometimes, but I don't. One thing I have learned is to never give up on this. I did not get into this situation overnight and I will not get out of it overnight. Patience, patience, patience...

[ButtersMom]

"early"? *LOL* Heck, I've been on the train over an hour already...

 

 

Oh jeez, I'm at work by 5:30 but at that time of morning the beltline gets me to work in 15 min. Long commute for you!

Edited July 10, 2007 by ButtersMom

[Guest CinciJeff]

Great post Pryan67!!

[LadyKnR]

I totally agree with Pryan, hence my sig. Sometimes it can get frustrating, and you need a break, but anything is possible with enough effort!

Edited July 10, 2007 by LadyKnR

[UTDebtFree]

Went to apply for a mortgage, told that we needed to use their CRO to clean up our credit.

 

I had a talk with the lady, told her what I had learned, had done, that I went from a 497 mid score to a 624 mid in 6 months. Also, told her how I was going to address each baddie. After the 20 minute conversation, she stated - You are one savy consumer who apparentlty knows their rights and is not afraid to use them. There is nothing that I can do that you either arent doing or cant do yourself for free.

 

Told the lender that we would be fine in a couple of months with all that I am doing. So, I am the CRO for myself and DH.

[MissAllie]

What a great and inspiring read Pryan!!

 

I agree 100%. When you fix your own mistakes, more than likely, you won't make them again.

 

Thanks for writing this. I hope it helps some of the people on the fence about doing their own credit repair!

[Daizzybee]

dup

Edited July 10, 2007 by Daizzybee

[Daizzybee]

I think the world is full of two kinds of people... they WHY'S and the WHY NOTS.

 

Whys are us... we learn, we stumble, we learn again... but we have to know WHY... thus it puts us in a position to not repeat the same mistakes.

 

Then there are the Why Nots... I live with some of them in my household... they believe you pay people to make life easier... simply because they don't want to stick around long enough for the answer to WHY... or weigh the RISKS involved. It's a problem with the Instant Gratification generation.

 

So sad. I love being a WHY.

[squirrelgirl]

Great post Pryan!!!

[jbyrd27]

"Desperate Stars Dancing with the Sopranos"

 

Seriously though great post. I learned the hard way about paying someone else to fix it. Before this site I hired some company to fix and yeah they got some bad stuff deleted but now some good stuff is gone to. That not having time is BS! I am 25, work a full time job and a part time on the weekends, I have a 1.5 year old son and am still finshing up my bachelors degree. And I find time to read and comb these boards. Yeah my credit sucks right now but nothing worth having never comes easy. After FINALLY fininshing Psychdocs stuff, it didn't make sense so I read it again! I also like to do searches for specific creditors I am am trying to deal with and I keep track of what others have gotten to work in the past. I have had to compartmentalize my journey and take it bit by bit but if I don't care enough, WHY IN THE HELL would I think a credit repair person gives a flip. So if I can find the time to read, ANYONE can. And I'm not someone who's already accomplished as much as some of the others have, I'm at the ground floor trying to work my way up but I try to tackle one maybe two at a time. I still have all the crappy cards and people calling me but I know there is never a quick fix for anything!

[varay0816]

great post ITA

[kilmer]

great post ITA

 

Right on!! At the last mortgage broker I worked for, we used to recommend a local CRO that really did do a good job. I had a good relationship with a lady there and sent a lot of my customers her way. Fast forward to new job at a different bank, where started working on my own credit fiasco. I didn't have the money to pay the CRO and stumbled upon this site and realized that I could do it all for free! Now I actually send my clients to creditboards. It's like pulling teeth to get a lot of them to do anything for themselves. I usually have to stay on them, but a few have been really successful and will be able to qualify for a home loan soon. And I am still working on my last few baddies.

[aoihimitsu]

I am going to go against the current here and say that not eveyone has time for this. I started repairing my credit back in 2003 after my home was robbed in 2002 and got it cleaned up. That was before I found this board. Unfortunately I was naive and did not realize the suckers could put stuff back knowing it was wrong or even move the collections account around. A year later I found myself doing the same thing again - fighting to get stuff off. And here it is 2007 and I am fighting the 3 and 4 and 5 rounds with some of the same items.

A times I do not follow up as I should because I get super busy with work and obligations.

I have friends that paid someone elase and their credit that was much worse than mine is now pristine.

Why am I still struggling on on my own and not resorting to someone else - because after dealing with identity theft I trust very few people with my info.

 

I have a few particularly stubborn items that after 4 years I am almost ready to throw in the towel. I vow to get it another last concentrated shot. If it does not work, I will pay someone to do it.

 

There are folks with kids and 2 nad 3 jobs who simply do not have time to do this because this is very time consuming and time intensive. It is easy to say read it at lunch, do this in your free time or do that while watching tv. Some folks do not have time for luch much more to watch tv.

Furthermore, there is nothing wrong, in my opinion, with paying someone if you have tried and cannot understand how and what to do. For those of us who get it or semi get it it is easy to forget that sometimes no matter how hard you read and try it is not simple.

[pryan67]

I am going to go against the current here and say that not eveyone has time for this. I started repairing my credit back in 2003 after my home was robbed in 2002 and got it cleaned up. That was before I found this board. Unfortunately I was naive and did not realize the suckers could put stuff back knowing it was wrong or even move the collections account around. A year later I found myself doing the same thing again - fighting to get stuff off. And here it is 2007 and I am fighting the 3 and 4 and 5 rounds with some of the same items.

A times I do not follow up as I should because I get super busy with work and obligations.

I have friends that paid someone elase and their credit that was much worse than mine is now pristine.

Why am I still struggling on on my own and not resorting to someone else - because after dealing with identity theft I trust very few people with my info.

 

I have a few particularly stubborn items that after 4 years I am almost ready to throw in the towel. I vow to get it another last concentrated shot. If it does not work, I will pay someone to do it.

 

There are folks with kids and 2 nad 3 jobs who simply do not have time to do this because this is very time consuming and time intensive. It is easy to say read it at lunch, do this in your free time or do that while watching tv. Some folks do not have time for luch much more to watch tv.

Furthermore, there is nothing wrong, in my opinion, with paying someone if you have tried and cannot understand how and what to do. For those of us who get it or semi get it it is easy to forget that sometimes no matter how hard you read and try it is not simple.

 

 

they don't go to the bathroom? They don't have 10 minutes while making dinner?

 

if you can't understand it..then ask...I can't stress enough how important it is to learn the how and why, rather than just get results...

 

 

Would you do your kid's homework for them because they were too "busy"?

 

Why not?

 

 

Do things sometimes reappear? They sure do...and you can go and pay someone else to do it again...OR...if you did it yourself the first time, you'll know how to deal with them and how to pop them for it

Edited July 10, 2007 by pryan67

[pryan67]

One more point about not understanding

 

 

if you're faced with a problem you don't understand, do any part of it you DO understand, then look at it again. More often than not, you'll be able to see the next step more clearly that way, and the next after that

 

 

this applies to EVERYTHING...from cleaning a house to quantum mechanics

[adventurer07]

I'm so glad you posted this and you included a link in your signature to it. For some reason I can never find posts like this when I'm browsing. I've thought recently about using a CRO but I'm very firmly a "do-it-yourself" person and the moments were moments of weakness and despair. Thanks for the added encouragement!

[pryan67]

bump for fun

[yogert909]

pryan, I'm sorry to disagree because you seem to be pretty knowledgeable. I'm actually a big fan of paying pros to do what I cannot. I pay people to do all sorts of things, not because I could not learn and do it myself, but the reward is not as great as the cost of paying a pro and in most cases they will do a better job. A partial list would include the auto mechanic (even though I can change my own oil, $20 seems reasonable), my lawyer(all of the laws are accessible online and it's not unknown to represent ones self), my accountant(I am convinced that no matter how much I study, I will never save myself as much money as he saves me)

 

I love a challenge and don't mind working hard. But I would prefer to pick my own challenges. Given the choice between repairing my credit or competing in a triathalon, or climbing half dome, or learning japanese, who would prefer to writing DV letters all day and memorizing FCBA, FCRA, and FDCPA?? Not me!

 

I would jump at the chance to hire it out and let someone else do it if I could find someone who could do a good job at a reasonable rate. But unfortunately, I haven't found someone who I trust to do a good job. That's the reason that I'm doing it myself, not for love or to learn.

[pryan67]

pryan, I'm sorry to disagree because you seem to be pretty knowledgeable. I'm actually a big fan of paying pros to do what I cannot. I pay people to do all sorts of things, not because I could not learn and do it myself, but the reward is not as great as the cost of paying a pro and in most cases they will do a better job. A partial list would include the auto mechanic (even though I can change my own oil, $20 seems reasonable), my lawyer(all of the laws are accessible online and it's not unknown to represent ones self), my accountant(I am convinced that no matter how much I study, I will never save myself as much money as he saves me)

 

I love a challenge and don't mind working hard. But I would prefer to pick my own challenges. Given the choice between repairing my credit or competing in a triathalon, or climbing half dome, or learning japanese, who would prefer to writing DV letters all day and memorizing FCBA, FCRA, and FDCPA?? Not me!

 

I would jump at the chance to hire it out and let someone else do it if I could find someone who could do a good job at a reasonable rate. But unfortunately, I haven't found someone who I trust to do a good job. That's the reason that I'm doing it myself, not for love or to learn.

 

 

 

well, since there IS no one that can do a good job at a reasonable rate...it appears that we DO agree...

 

 

 

IF there were a company that could:

 

1. do it as well as the consumer can themselves

 

2. do it as cheaply (including the consumers "labor") as the consumer

 

3. educate the consumer so they don't get into the same bind (a HUGE part of what CB is here for)

 

4. be as dedicated and commited as the consumer would be

 

5. be as knowledgable as the people here

 

 

etc, etc, etc

 

 

then sure....pay them....

 

 

but none of that can or will happen....will it?

[jack1212]

Anyone who feels different, do this.

 

Get your phone book, and look at the yellow pages for attorneys.

 

Find all those that say "Stop Harrassing phone calls", blah, blah.

 

Call the office and ask how much it will cost to have that service done.

 

Guess what?

 

You can send the Limited c & d letter yourself! (Thats all it is.)

 

Take a gander at how much you can save from that.

 

Not to mention they will send a FULL C & D letter, getting you in more trouble.

 

 

jack1212

[yogert909]

yeah, I considered offering to pay one of the great folks here, because there are a few who seem to fit jack's criteria. But I imagine it would open ya'll up to some legal risks that wouldn't make it worth the effort.

 

btw, you two seem to be some old salts at this. venture to guess how many hours you've spent polishing your CR?