The book that is the subject of this review is William Guy Carr's Pawns in the Game, originally published in 1955. The work is Carr's attempt to understand and explain the vast Satanist conspiracy that has been at work throughout history and its goal of creating a One World Government to control every nation. The book's main thesis is that this World Revolutionary Movement, through the manipulation of various events and groups of people, have effected numerous government overthrows and silent coups d'etat, and are continuing this plot even as he was writing.

Carr examines a number of historical and present-day events to illustrate his points about the international conspiracy, which is being run by the highest levels of the Illuminati. Events such as the English revolution in the mid-1640's, the French revolution in the late 1700's, and various aspects of the creation of the Soviet Union and the two World Wars were begun or exacerbated by the presence of this shadowy cabal.

The Illuminati, now acting as the international bankers, according to Carr, have used the tool of monetary manipulation to gain and keep control of governments. They are the controllers of every influential country's central bank, holding the power to create wealth, destroy great fortunes, and consolidate their own power through the use of funding both sides of every war to ensure their own profits, and periodic currency devaluation.

One distinction that the book mentions a number of times is that no single religious, ethnic, or political group can be held responsible for the international conspiracy. In fact, the Illuminati often sow dissent in the ranks of any group it deems useful for the purpose, regardless of their being Jews, communists, Americans, or otherwise. Carr's focus on this issue seems to be a response to the possible charge of anti-Semitism, and he gives the illustration of the Holocaust as an example of the World Revolutionary Movement's brutal sacrifice of millions of Jews to further their own designs.

Another theme that plays a large part in the book is that of subversion. It is more commonly used when Carr is discussing communist influence in political movements and governments, but he contends that these movements are small parts of the international conspiracy. They aim to propagandize the public, convert the youth to revolutionary causes, and convert nations to communism.

In fact, the use of propaganda to further political aims is one theme that recurs in many of the events Carr describes. He relates all of them to the practice of L'Infamie during the French Revolution in 1789. Influential persons who do not agree with the Illuminati are shamelessly decried in the press, often to the point of humiliation, loss of power, and death. This is one of the most effective tools of the conspirators, regardless of the truth of the propaganda: as long as it persuades public opinion to oust a potential enemy and install a friendly regime, it is effective.

The book, though, while presenting Carr's argument clearly, suffers from the same flaws as many other books with similar themes. With such broad theories of an international conspiracy to effect a One World Government, there is precious little actual documentation. Unfortunately, the author relies on the reader's understanding of the events he describes, but does not provide sources for many of the claims. This is not to say that the claims are false, of course, but citing source documents for various historical events, whether they be other books or contemporary media articles, would give the reader an indication of the ground the author is standing on.

If nothing else, the author raises enough issues that encourage more independent research by the reader. Various threads that Carr ties together can be untied and examined, and he manages to raise many important themes. The engineering of revolutions and wars, monetary manipulation, and fact that the world has moved closer to a world government (with a European Union already established and a North American Union being discussed now in 2007) all validate many of the points raised in the book. Whether these events were engineered by an international Satanic conspiracy dedicated to the destruction of Christianity and the abolishment of sovereign nations is a question that the reader will have to answer on his or her own. But Carr provides some of the clues and themes that have been used in the past.

In conclusion, the book is well worth a read by anyone interested in the conspiratorial view of history. Thankfully, it does not implicate a specifically Jewish or Communist conspiracy, displaying a more subtle approach to the shadowy elite that the author contends runs the world. The book may not convince skeptics of the theory, but it does provide a cohesive thesis and various avenues for further research. As with any book of this nature, it encourages the reader to begin asking questions and seeking answers, even if its own answers raise only more questions.

In a few other posts, we've discussed the issue of credit and how it can help push homeowners over the edge into foreclosure, and how it can continue to have financially destructive effects even after the mortgage has gone into default. This post will look a little more at credit in general and how it can both hurt and help consumers.

Most of our posts have decried the use of credit, stating that it only helps homeowners lose control of their finances and borrow too much today based on an uncertain future. Once that uncertain future entails a financial hardship, credit cards go into default, collection agencies and attorneys are hired, and homeowners have to search out some trustworthy source of foreclosure advice. And this is all the result of them borrowing money just to finance the basic necessities.

Granted, obtaining and using credit is not a problem. Borrowing money can, at certain strategic times, help consumers purchase an investment (like their homes) that will increase in value over time, start a business, or obtain some other financially beneficial asset. Credit used in this way can help households improve their overall worth and comfort, and is a wise use of credit.

The problem is when homeowners begin using credit to finance basic necessities of their lives and to continue an unsustainable period of consumption for the sake of some meaningless, unattainable goal, such as "looking good," "keeping up with the neighbors," or "because we can." In these cases, the borrowing can spiral out of control and homeowners can find themselves throwing all of their money away at the interest charges on their various credit lines. Especially when homeowners are borrowing money just to eat, keep a roof over their heads, and keep the lights on, any financial hardship will probably end up in numerous missed payments on any of their open credit cards or mortgage.

Again, homeowners have very little or no protection when they begin to fall behind on their bills. It is very common (almost universal) for credit card companies to raise the interest rates very high when consumers miss a payment, and some even practice the concept of "universal default," whereby a credit card will raise its rate if the consumer is late on a different card from a different company -- being on-time or late on that particular card has no bearing whatsoever on the rate being increased.

These kinds of tactics are being examined by the credit card industry and even by Congress, but it is doubtful any real relief will be offered to homeowners. The exact same result of the foreclosure and predatory lending hearings will probably be seen in these hearings -- a lot of talk about protecting consumers from high interest rates and irrationally high fees, and then silence. Even in the midst of a collapse of consumers' ability to repay their loans, the only new laws and regulations will most likely protect the credit card industry.

Take, for example, the new proposed regulation requiring more disclosure on the part of credit issuers to show how much it will cost the borrower. In realitly, borrowers do not read the current paperwork they get from lenders, and a new law changing what the borrowers do not read will not give them any better understanding of how they are being drawn into the credit trap.

Thus, credit used for a very specific purpose may help homeowners improve their financial positiions and their quality of life. Building equity in a home, starting a business, or improving one's efficiency are all viable reasons to borrow money for the short term in anticipation of a better future. However, borrowing for the sake of consumption or for basic necessities, or borrowing for the goal of improving one's credit score to be able to borrow more later: these are simply unsustainable and unachievable goals that can not lead homeowners to a better financial life. They will, as we are experiencing now, be forced to pay the bills even after their stream of income dries up, and then find themselves looking for solutions on how they can stop foreclosure.

With so many homeowners now facing the possibility of falling behind on their mortgages for the first time in their lives, it would seem that there should be some situation or issue that can be pointed out that is the root cause of these problems. Foreclosure victims may feel that they are the only ones who are having difficulties with their monthly obligations, but this is far from the truth. Many people are living so close to the edge of financial ruin that any hardship will put them into a situation where they are unable to make their mortgage payment.

Some sort of financial hardship is by far the most common reason that homeowners start to miss the deadline on their mortgage and other bills. Whether it is a loss of job, medical problems, or unexpected car or housing expenses, homeowners find that they were drawn a few steps too far into the web of using easy credit and paying too much for everything. Once there is a disruption in their income, even for a few weeks, their entire situation seems to fall apart and they are left wondering how they will be able to find some way to stop foreclosure.

A hardship, in itself, though, should never be enough to cause so many homeowners to seek out foreclosure advice once they realize they will not be able to get caught up on their payments. But with the over-consumption culture and lack of savings of many households, there is simply no money to get the homeowners beyond the next week, let alone next month, in the event that their stream of income temporarily or permanently dries up. Living paycheck-to-paycheck transforms into living credit card to credit card, a precarious balancing act that is destined to fall, once the homeowners add one too many temporary solutions to the mix, whether they be car title loans, payday loans, or high-interest credit cards.

Unfortunately, most homeowners spend much of their income after taxes chasing after one or another credit card that they are falling behind on, all in a vain effort to keep their credit in good standing. They place so much importance on their ability to borrow more money that they borrow so much that they can not ever hope to repay what they have borrowed, and then they have to resort to borrowing more to pay back what they borrowed originally. And even once the house goes into foreclosure, homeowners will continue attempting to pay back predatory loans and offer the lenders more money and more interest in order to stop foreclosure or avoid collections. Foreclosure victims can find themselves spending decades of their lives being digested as food for the debt machine, ending up working in their old age when they should have retired long ago, but were unable to save up money for retirement in their earlier years.

It is a very just question to ask if all of this is necessary. The wage slavery, random acts of financial devastation caused by outside influences, and constant merry-go-round of borrowing until it all ends in homelessness, all to protect a meaningless score tallied up by three credit bureaus that have persuaded business and banking interests to use their worthless calculations to decide the happiness of potential customers. Borrowing money to finance a life of desperation, depression, and meaninglessness is not really living at all, is i?

It is important to stop foreclosure, which is the point of our website, and it is vital that homeowners get as much foreclosure advice and foreclosure information as they possibly can, in order to protect themselves. But it is much more important that foreclosure victims understand what system that they are being fed into, and if it is worth giving up their lives to finance their own unhappiness.

The message of the day is don't wait to save your home from foreclosure. For every minute that you are not doing something to stop foreclosure, or are waiting on an event that has little or no possibility of paying off, the lender will be using that same time to take your house away from you. And every day that goes by without you doing something, you lose more and more of your equity; sometimes hundreds of dollars a day can be added to your payoff by the bank's acceleration. This is why you must have some plan to keep your home or sell it fast.

Lenders are often willing to postpone the foreclosure process if you are able to offer them a reasonable solution to the problem. If they can get the loan reinstated of paid off, there is no reason for them to continue pursuing a lengthy, expensive foreclosure. But the key is to have a solution to offer them, or a plan to come up with a solution to foreclosure in a set period of time. The bank will not simply postpone the foreclosure auction just because they have a request -- they will be looking for the plan that leads to the result of the loan being repaid.

While you are working on some sort of plan to stop foreclosure, the bank will be pursuing the foreclosure. You can think of it as a race, with the winner ending up with the house that you own right now. If you aren't moving towards the finish line, you can bet on the fact that your lender will be moving further and further ahead of you. And the further behind you get, the harder it will be to save your home from foreclosure, because it gets prohibitively expensive once the bank begins accelerating the interest, adding late fees, and hiring expensive attorneys to take you to court. Waiting will only cost you more money and cause you more pain in the end.

If you are going to try to stop foreclosure and save your home, you must have more than one plan, as well. You may not want to work on more than one at a time, but too often one plan will fall through right at the last minute. In that instance, you'll have no choice but to call your lender and ask them to put the foreclosure on hold, even though you were just turned down in one solution and have lined up no other reasonable way to save your home. In essence, you'll be asking your bank to take your word for it that you will be able to avoid losing the home, even though you have already broken your contract with them to pay the loan on time, and have no other option at that time. This is a very difficult call for most homeowners to make, and is one more reason you should get as much foreclosure advice as possible to learn what options you have open to stop foreclosure.

Waiting is possibly the worst thing that anyone in foreclosure can do. It causes you to fall further and further behind and precludes many possibilities that would otherwise have been able to save your home from foreclosure. Researching options and searching out foreclosure advice are some of the first steps in a plan to stop foreclosure, but actually moving ahead with the plan and putting away numerous backups will mean the real difference between saving your home from foreclosure and losing the race to your lender and having to find a new apartment to move into.

A lot of people in foreclosure have questions about people from the bank driving past their homes on a regular basis. Foreclosure victims may feel a bit of paranoia at the thought that their lender, who is trying to take their home away from them, is periodically "checking up on them." Most times, the people who come to look at the property simply keep on driving, only making sure that the house looks as if someone is living there.

The reasong banks do this, of course, is to make certain that the property is not abandoned by the homeowners. Some foreclosure victims, once they have decided they can not stop foreclosure and have no chance to save their homes, will simply find another place to live, pack up, and leave. They may also do this because of the sheer intimidation factor of having their lender call them dozens of times every day, asking for money that they know the homeowners do not have.

Another reason that banks will continuously drive past houses that are in some stage of foreclosure is to make sure the house is not being vandalised or damaged, either by criminals or the homoenwers themselves. Banks often have trouble selling properties that have been through foreclosure, and a damaged foreclosure property is an even tougher sell. But lenders also know that homeowners often feel threatened by the feeling that they have no options to stop foreclosure on their homes, especially when banks do little to provide their clients with any meaningful foreclosure help. Some former homeowners will take out their frustration against the bank on the house itself, by destroying or removing as much as possible.

Consider the case of a man in Oregon who destroyed almost everything on his property when he lost his home to foreclosure. Amazingly, he even released pigs inside his former house to continue the process of destruction even after he had left. The bank may have sold the property at sheriff sale, but on thing is certain: they will make no more profit on the house than the former foreclosure victim who was unable to stop foreclosure and created only more problems for everyone involved. This is one homeowner who could have used a little more foreclosure advice, as he was obviously upset that he could find a reasonable solution to stop foreclosure.

Homeowners should not be surprised when they see strange people driving past their homes to make sure that the property is in good condition. Banks do this to make sure that the property has not been abandoned or damaged. However, every foreclosure victim should also be searching out various ways they can save their homes and prevent it from going through the foreclosure process. The more foreclosure information that homeowners have, the better able they will be to face the challenge of foreclosure and find a solution to stop foreclosure on their homes.

Right now, it appears that our country and the world are in a period that is going to produce great changes in the social structure, especially for people who own homes and have mortgages. More homeowners are facing new financial challenges that never even crossed their minds even a few years ago. The amount of homeowners who need foreclosure advice and options to stop foreclosure keeps rising, despite the best (and worst) efforts of regulatory agencies, consumer advocacy groups, and private foreclosure help companies to assist homeowners..

As mentioned before on this blog and on numerous other websites, the world is moving rapidly into a period of higher energy costs that will not decrease back to the rates we saw in the late 1990's and early years of this century. On the contrary, oil supplies are no longer keeping up with the worldwide demand, and homeowners whose budgets are already stretched to the breaking point will find it very difficult to keep their homes as more of their income is spent on just getting back and forth to their jobs, whose security is becoming more questionable every day.

This is also assuming that most homeowners still have a place to work, which is definitely not guaranteed. Layoffs at big companies and the destruction of small businesses that relied on cheap energy to keep costs down will contribute to many more homeowners losing their jobs and facing the possibility of not being able to make their mortgage payments. The result will be even higher numbers of foreclosures that are not cured, and even more of the property in this country owned by large corporate and private banks, rather than the people.

Within the past few years, even as prices have been generally rising throughout the economy, a vast credit bubble in the housing market was created. This gave homeowners the illusion that they were protected from the cost of inflation, since the value of their homes was keeping pace with and even outpacing inflation. When these adjustable rate, interest only, no down payment loans started to default, though, house values started dropping right away, with houses sitting for sale on the market throughout the entire foreclosure process.

Homeowners in this situation could do nothing to stop foreclosure. They had either lost jobs or could not afford to keep up with the payment once the loan reset to a higher interest rate. Repayment plans were not offered by banks, or they were prohibitively expensive, and when the value of their houses declined, they could not receive a loan to stop foreclosure.

And these problems persists, even with prices that will continue rising. As oil costs rise, expect the price of nearly everything else to rise with it, including food and other energy supplies, such as natural gas. It may not be an optimistic period that the world is moving into, but not even being aware of it will cause homeowners much more damage than having the awareness and motivation to begin making some sort of plan to deal with the situation.

We've written quite a bit about how inflation cuts into homeowners' incomes (along with taxes and interest on their debts). The question we'll examine in this post is whether the inflation tax will increase or decrease as we enter the summer months. Unfortunately, the answer does not seem to be that difficult to find, and it's not very encouraging.

The major problem consumers face right now is the rising costs of energy, especially oil prices used to fuel their cars. Prices are at an all-time high right now and are expected to hit $4.00 per gallon this summer (some sources say $5.00-$8.00 per gallon by the end of this year or next ), and it's not even June yet. Also, extra fuel costs for driving to and from work/home, driving kids to school, and performing all of the functions of modern life are just the tip of the massive energy inflation iceberg. Although driving by consumers accounts for large percentages of the total use of energy, there is much more to the story.

Namely, as energy costs rise, so will the prices of such standard goods as food. Especially because so much of our food is shipped from around the world (produce in particular), the extra transportation costs will be passed right along to the consumers. So homeowners can expect their mortgage payments to go up if they have an adjustable rate, they can expect gas prices to continue eating away at their budgets, and they can expect it to cost significantly more to feed their families. Not a very encouraging future that we're looking at for the short term, as mentioned above.

Furthermore, it really does not matter which justification for the rising oil prices is true. Some believe that we are running out of cheap, easy oil and energy, and others believe that "The Powers That Be" are manipulating the prices in order to take more money away from consumers. Either way, prices are rising and will continue to increase and will stay high. This is the dangerous situation that the world is in right now.

Homeowners who are already facing these problems and are coming to a crisis point need to be very aware of the danger that they are in. Once they can no longer keep up with their mortgage payments because of rising prices in every other area of their lives, foreclosure and the loss of their homes can come very quickly. This is one reason why homeowners should do everything they can to make sure they can stop foreclosure before it happens and protect their incomes from the threat of being destroyed by interest on their debt or from inflation that does not look like it will let up any time soon. Homeowners who are already falling behind should consult our foreclosure advice section on methods that they can use to prevent this situation from becoming a devastating hardship.

The review in this post is on Part I of the audio seminar "Where Would Jesus Bank? (And Other Good Folks, too)," by Catherine Austin Fitts. The program is available from Fitts' website, Solari. Her e-book/series, Dillon, Read & Co., Inc. and the Aristocracy of Prison Politics, has been reviewed on our site before. The audio seminar, though, is a much broader overview of the entire banking industry.

The main functions of a bank are to hold deposits that customers bring in, process transactions between customers of banks, and lend money. A high degree of centralization exists in the banking industry, with banks being regulated by both national and international bodies.

In the US, the banks essentially finance the government, with the New York Federal Reserve Bank acting as the main depositor of the US government. Fitts sees disturbing problems in the fact that, over the past few years, various departments have stated that they have lost nearly $4 trillion. Fitts sees this as financial corruption of the government, and it is hard to explain away that much money as anything else. These $4 trillion in "undocumented adjustments" could be identified and the money accounted for, but there have never been audited financial statements provided by the government to explain to the American people how their government lost so much of their money. Because the large banks of the country control the Federal Reserve System, they control the government's money and play a role in this corruption.

In this first part of the seminar, Fitts focuses mainly on how the large national and multinational banks are destroying our financial lives. She states that they are leading the corruption that controls the government, due to the current deficit position.

And by using and supporting these banks, we are all financing this corruption directly which is leading to our own financial misery. We are, in fact, financing our own destruction and the destruction of our communities, even as the banks make money whether times are good or bad.

The large national and international banks also further the decay of communities by their complicity in the global drug trade, with $500 million to $1 billion per year coming from this trade being laundered through these large banks. Drug traffickers sell their product to the people who sell drugs to our children, brothers, and sisters, and then invest their dirty money in the large banks, who finance the government. Is it any wonder corruption is so widespread?

Even more disturbing is Fitts' explanation of how the big banks have participated in the current debt trap that many consumers find themselves in. Banks have financed the moving of jobs abroad to Third World countries while at the same time creating a credit environment that has increased debt levels of every major area: government, household, and housing debt have all increased, even as banks have made more profits from financing jobs abroad and lending money.

Banks who did this willingly may have been engaged in the practice of "fradulent inducement of debt," according to the seminar, which may make these debts worthless. This concept states that debts are not valid when the lender loans the money knowing in advance that the debt can not be paid back. However, it will be left up to future court decisions to decide on this issue.

One final method that banks use to take money away from communities is in the skimming of credit card fees from businesses. For every purchase made by a consumer with a credit card, a certain percentage is taken out to pay the cost of using the credit card. This takes profits away from the local business every time a credit card is used. Although it may be a small amount on each transaction, it is one more way that the large banks have set up to take more profits away from communities and put it back in their own pockets.

The seminar goes into more detail on all of these issues, as well as others that are just as interesting, although more technical. For the average consumer who is not aware of how the banking system works in this country, listening to the audio presentation is an eye-opening experience. Best of all, the seminar is offered for free on Fitts' website right now.

In the end, Fitts recommends using a local bank that prides itself on providing the community with essential banking services and has a vested interest in keeping the health of the community alive and growing. In order to take our money from the tapeworm economy, we need to support local banks that, in turn, support local businesses and the community and make their money on productive interests, rather than profiting from the financing of the destruction of communities.

Part II of the seminar will be reviewed on this blog soon, so stay tuned! Better yet, download Fitts' seminar and learn how the banking system works and how to escape the tapeworm.

There are a lot of questions on how homeowners can protect themselves from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous foreclosure scam companies. While the main points have been repeated ad naseum by everyone else, this post is focused on a few of the most important ways that foreclosure victims can ensure that they are being dealt with fairly and have the best chance of receiving a beneficial solution to stop foreclosure.

The most important point is for homeowners to understand every piece of paper that they are asked to sign. Sales contracts may contain hidden clauses, stacks of meaningless paperwork may contain a quitclaim deed, and workout programs may state a higher payment than the homeowners can afford. If any of these are the case, the foreclosure victims can find themselves in even greater danger of losing their homes. Most of the horror stories online about foreclosure scams describe homeowners who are "sweet talked" by someone into giving up their home or thousands of dollars, only to find out later that they signed away all their ownership rights in their own home. Therefore, it is very important for homeowners to read and make sure they understand everything they are getting into.

Another point is for homeowners to make sure they can afford the payments on their new plan to stop foreclosure. Even if they are planning on refinancing in a few months or selling the home, a large payment on a forbearance agreement that stretches the budget, combined with another minor hardship, will put the family right back into foreclosure. If they can not afford to keep their home, it may be better to work out an arrangement to sell the home or give the bank a deed in lieu of foreclosure, rather than agreeing to a plan that is destined to fail in the end.

Finally, when working with an investor to put together a plan to stop foreclosure and keep the home, it is important for homeowners to protect their interest in their property. This may mean executing a contract that is recordable with the county or having an attorney review all of the documents to make sure that the investor has no ability to take the property back from the homeowners, unless they stop making their payments again. In addition, the payments should be very clearly spelled out in the agreement, and should be a payment that the homeowners agree to and can afford for the length of the contract.

Thus, homeowners can avoid most of the common foreclosure scams by just looking out for their own interests, and making sure they are protected. It is unfortunate that, so often, homeowners will trust whoever pretends to be more knowledgeable than they are, regardless of the circumstances. In most cases, homeowners who are applying for a foreclosure loan or repayment plan know a lot more about the foreclosure process than many of the companies and individuals they are dealing with. Most homeowners who simply read our foreclosure advice section will know more ways they can save their homes than the average foreclosure help company representative. It is vital for homeowners to get over their own fears of losing their homes and become active participants in the plan to stop foreclosure. After all, no one loses more in the situation than the homeowners themselves.

Homeowners in foreclosure receive a lot of information in the mail from numerous companies, investors, lenders, and attorneys. There are a variety of different offers that foreclosure victims receive, including offers from investors to purchase the home, offers from the bank to put together a workout program, and offers from foreclosure help companies to assist in loss mitigation. One of the most common, but least mentioned, offers is the cash for keys offer that many homeowners receive.

A cash for keys offer is usually sent to the foreclosure victim by a representative of the lender. The offer consists of asking the homeowners to give up possession of their home voluntarily in exchange for a small sum of money, usually around $500-$1,000. The bank agrees to give the homeowners this small amount to help with moving expenses and put an amicable end to the foreclosure. The bank will certainly keep moving ahead with the foreclosure process until they have regained the home, but they will know that their clients gave the home back.

Another reason banks offer a cash for keys deal is so that they are reasonably assured the homeowners will not abandon or destroy the property without the bank's awareness. Many homeowners simply give up their properties once they are faced with mounting bills and a mortgage company that calls them relentlessly. They find they have no solution to stop foreclosure, so they simply move out. Lenders do not like this, as abandoned homes are often the targets of squatters, looting, or vandalism. If the bank can get the keys from the homeowners voluntarily, then they will be able to keep a closer watch on the property to make sure that it does not become a target of lawlessness.

Is a cash for keys offer right for the homeowners, though? In most cases, no. Unless it is the very last minute before a pending eviction, homeowners can usually try to stop foreclosure through any number of other options, rather than relying on a very small payoff to cover their moving expenses. Foreclosure victims should attempt as many of the options in our foreclosure advice section as they possibly can, given the amount of time they have before they lose their home. Even selling the home can often help the homeowners walk away wth more than a few hundred dollars. So a cash for keys deal should really only be considered as a last resort.

A cash for keys deal can help homeowners give their property back to the bank and stop foreclosure in an agreeable manner; this option is comparable with offering the bank a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Nothing is really saved and the homeowners have to begin repairing their financial situation, but they have one last chance to get a little bit of cash out of their homes. It is, of course, not the best solution to foreclosure, but it is better than being evicted with no money and no place to go.

The book that is the topic of our most recent ForeclosureFish.com book review is Work from Home at any Age, by J.J. Luna, author of another classic practical book called How to be Invisible. The book is a short, although informative, examination of the author's arguments for one's desire to take control of his or her income and begin their own small, private business. The book is important for homeowners, because many homeowners end up in foreclosure because they put their faith in a job that turned out to be much more temporary than they had originally planned.

The first sentence of the book is "If you are older than 11, younger than 85, and are unhappy with your present circumstances, then this is the book you've been waiting for." For homeowners who have seen their job outsourced to China, downsized, or replaced by a computer, this feeling of being unhappy can be compounded with the fear of being unable to provide for one's family and even the fear of eventually losing the home to foreclosure.

And the book goes on to provide the reader with many of the most basic, but often-forgotten rules of running a successful home-based business. From having integrity, to making a first good impression, to having a "start to steer by," WFHAAA is meant to help its readers open their eyes to the possibilities that await them if they simply choose to take back control of their own lives. It is not so much a step-by-step instruction manual of how to start a business, but a much-needed, motivational primer for anyone who is thinking of beginning to work from home in their own business.

However, there are also many practical ideas in the book, including some of the author's own home-based businesses. He has sold his former businesses for an average of $250,000, according to the book. He also details how people can make their businesses private. Perhaps the most important chapter in the book is the last chapter on the author's exhortation for every person to find their own personal star to steer by. Mr. Luna recommends the Bible, but he explains that everyone should have their own personal relationship with a higher power, whatever it may be.

The book, in conclusion, is a great little read for anyone who is tired of their job, has just lost a job, or is contemplating having to take a job and being away from their children or family. Starting a home-based business is not easy, but the rewards are much greater than just punching a time-clock and trading one's valuable hours for some employers nearly worthless dollars.

As we have talked to literally thousands of homeowners who are facing foreclosure because their "safe, secure, good" job was not there for them, we have learned that most foreclosure victims would be better off considering their own business. This is because most of the homeowners who contact us to stop foreclosure are determined to save their homes and protect their families, prudent enough to examine various options to avoid foreclosure, and willing to put in the work necessary to save their homes. It is almost a tragedy to see so many fine human beings voluntarily put on the chains and shackles of having to work for someone else, rather than working for the good of their own families and themselves.

The book that is the subject of this review is Daniel Hopsicker's Barry and "The Boys:" The CIA, the Mob, and America's Secret History. Hopsicker originally published it in 2001 and updated it in 2006, adding more information in an Introduction and tying this book in with his most recent work. The book's subtitle neatly explains the subject matter, although many more issues are examined through their relatioships with the infamous drug smuggler Barry Seal.

In fact, the sheer number of issues, events, and people that Hopsicker touches on makes it a very daunting task to attempt to review the book. From before World War II, to the Bay of Pigs, to Vietnam, Iran-Contra, Mena, Arkansas, and our current administration, Hopsicker ties together some of the more notable names that have been involved in both the public history of America and the "secret history." Being unfamiliar with some of the subject matter, this review will focus more on the style and mechanics of the book, rather than most of the actual content.

As a summary of the work, though, the book focuses heavily on the life of Barry Seal, whom Hopsicker calls "the biggest drug smuggler in American history, who died in a hail of bullets with George Bush's private phone number in his wallet." Through his relationship with various military-intelligence personnel, and as a CIA employee and pilot, Seal played a part or knew the main participants in nearly every major event in recent American history. He attended a summer camp for the Baton Rouge Civil Air Patrol with Lee Harvey Oswald, and is suggested to have flown a getaway plane out of Dallas on the day of the Kennedy Assassination, for instance. Seal was also heavily involved in flying drugs into the country during the time of the Iran-Contra events, and his plane ended up in the possession of George W. Bush after his death. In the 380-page book, though, these issues are examined in depth, along with dozens of other events.

The sources for the book seem to be mainly interviews that Hopsicker or his associates conducted, and most of them relate to various aspects of the secret history or the life of Barry Seal. This makes the book a great primary source, and there are very few anonymous sources providing information. Seal's wife is interviewed, along with high school friends, coworkers, and government employees. As issues come up, Hopsicker introduces a player and his or her role, and relates the event back and forth to other events, reminding the reader of the relevance of what has come before and what will come later. This helps casual readers (such as this reviewer) keep all of the names and places a little bit straighter, since the same names seem to keep appearing in various places and times.

The writing style itself is quite easy to read and a bit casual, compared with other books of a similar nature. Hopsicker is very much a part of the story, as he and his researchers attempt to put together the complete picture of the events that surrounded Barry Seal. With each interview and new name added to the mix, the picture becomes more clear, chapter by chapter, until the book traces a single unbroken line through over sixty years of history involving covert wars, drug smuggling, bipartisan political corruption, and various shell corporations and financial intrigues.

Obviously, the author ran into some legal issues with the publication of the book, though, as one chapter is filled with blacked-out, redacted material. Nearly every name is unreadable for an entire chapter while Hopsicker traces the evolution of one of the shell companies mentioned in the book. This detracts slightly from the readability of the material, and it seems that previous versions were missing the chapter completely, which is unfortunate, but the material in the chapter does not seem central to Hopsicker's main thesis. Of course, this is hard to tell for sure with so much cut out, but the names mentioned in the chapter are not repeated throughout the book, as there are few other blackouts in the remaining thirty-seven chapters.

A 60-page Appendix at the end of the book contains numerous pictures from the life of Barry Seal, as well as documents from his personal records. These provide a treasure trove of resources to browse through to learn more the various issues that Hopsicker examines, especially the trail of ownership of Seal's planes that were used to smuggle drugs. Following the trail of shell corporations set up simply to shield the true owner of the planes is one of the more tangled yet enlightening portions of the book, and the Appendix explains more of these details with the use of the actual source documents.

A final useful aspect of the book is that Hopsicker has obviously read much about the subject matter he aims to tackle, and provides other recommendations of books that followed the track. Some of these authors, such as Alfred McCoy and Peter Dale Scott, are well-known and respected, and their works provide additional avenues of research for the reader of Barry and "The Boys". By attempting to add to the information already available from other sources, Hopsicker is able to build on these works and provide his own contributions, rather than simply offering a summary of other works.

Barry and "the Boys" may provide an ideal introduction into the topic of the secret history of America's involvement in covert wars and drugs, and it is certainly a work to be referred to and read more than once. In fact, as more of the names connected to Seal appear again and again (as they have even since the book was originally published in 2001), the work is more important than ever. As Hopsicker states numerous times in the book, it's a "Small world," and it seems that everyone knows everyone else sometimes, except the general public who knows no one and is told as little as possible. Seal, as a tragic figure who rose to the heights of power in the covert world, met his end when he grew a little too big for his own britches and decided to "talk." Hopefully Hopsicker will be given the opportunity to speak more of the truth as well, as he is saying some important things in this book.

It seems like the news relating to foreclosures in the housing market is going to keep getting worse before it gets better. The private central bank is warning of the foreclosure crisis' affect on the economy, mortgage lenders are attempting some efforts in repentence of their idiotic lending decisions of the past years, and concerned groups are conducting surveys which may give them some insight into why homeowners are in such danger right now. Of course, none of this will probably actually help foreclosure victims save their homes, but interesting articles are the next best thing when news organizations have simply no idea how to help the homeowners most in need of resources to stop foreclosure.

Bernanke Says Subprime Lending Curbs Will "Restrain" Housing
We can't raise interest rates, since that will push even more homeowners over the edge when their inappropriate adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) reset to higher payments. And we can't lower the interest rate, since that will mean the value of the dollar will fall even further, in relation to other countries' currencies.

National Mortgage Lender Responds to Distress Call
This is actually a good step to take by lenders, and hopefully more will follow suit. Any amount of education on how to stop foreclosure will more than welcome in the current economic climate. Hopefully, more homeowners will read the literature on how to avoid foreclosure, since many did not take the necessary time to read and understand how their mortgage works and what the dangers are of borrowing so much money at once.

Study Takes Aim at Foreclosure Crisis
It is encouraging to see more interest in learning how and why foreclosure happens to homeowners, and studies like these can provide good data to banks about the communities they are lending money in. The danger is when money becomes so loose that mortgage companies will lend out hundreds of thousands of dollars to almost anyone who can sign their name, as happened with the latest foreclosure crisis. But, in the best scenario, homeowners and banks will be able to learn more about each other's policies and abilities through comprehensive studies like these.

Mummified Body of Ex-Owner Found in Foreclosure Auctioned House
And now, some news from Spain, of a woman who lost her home to foreclosure in 2001. The bank never even checked the inside of the house before selling it this year, and was unaware the former owner had died in her home. The salty sea air kept the woman's body mummified long after she died. An interesting, macabre, and somewhat sad story of what can happen when homeowners face foreclosure.

It is often amazing to witness how much of a homeowner's income goes towards paying for taxes and interest on their debts. Even more expensive than these costs, though, is a hidden tax that affects the lower and middle classes and causes the value of their money to drop year after year. This tax is caused by inflation, or the rising of prices for goods and services in the economy. And because no one addresses this hidden tax, it is very easy for homeowners to miss it, until it has become a problem.

Obviously, no one likes paying income tax, sales tax, the gasoline tax, or any other form of tax. Accountants spend much of their time consulting their clients on how to reduce their tax burden as much as possible, while remaining within the boundaries of the tax system. Stories about businesses and individuals who do not pay their taxes are common in the news, with labels like "tax cheat" and "crook" being applied to the alleged perpetrators in almost every circumstance.

And interest charges are no better. One of the main causes of the current record foreclosure numbers is the simple fact that many homeowners took out adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) and now their interest rate is too high. They were used to paying a small amount of interest and can not cope with an interest cost almost twice what they were originally paying. Interest on credit cards is even higher, and many homeowners fall behind on their bills because they are futiley trying to pay back the interest on the money they borrowed to pay last month's bills.

Inflation, though, causes even wider-ranging problems in the homeowners' financial situations. When the cost of gasoline, natural gas, food, or other goods and services increases, and is not coupled with an increase in the consumer's income, then the consumer has to use more of their money to purchase the same amount of goods. The value of their dollar has gone down, and they will have to purchase less, make more income, go without, or borrow. Most consumers choose to borrow, putting the most basic necessities on credit cards and then taking out home equity loans to consolidate credit cards and repeating the cycle. But the first instance of inflation causes homeowners to begin losing money, and then borrowing, combined with higher interest payments on the amount they borrow, contributes even further to more and more of their income being spent on phantom taxes and interest. Rather than being able to make necessary purchases, or contribute to their savings, they have to borrow money and pay it back.

This is one reason that banks set guidelines on the percentage of income that a homeowner can dedicate towards their house payment (usually 28-55%). Banks know that taxes will cover around 25% of a homeowner's income, interest on car loans and credit cards made by banks may cover another 10-15%, and that leaves the mortgage to cover another 30-50%, leaving somewhere between 10-35% of the homeowner's income to pay for basic necessities, such as heat, food, water, and clothing. If any is left over, it can usually be spent on recreation, although most banks would much rather that homeowner use credit cards to pay for entertainment, which increases the interest charges to the homeowner. Add in inflation to this, and homeowners see their share of the income steadily dropping, as they have to spend more and more on basic necessities and recreation becomes a thing of the past, or is increasingly put on the credit card.

Inflation, interest, and taxes are the three areas in which homeowners see most of their income disappear into a black hole from which they get no return and which provides them with nothing to show for these expenses. As energy prices continue to rise even further, this will cause general price increases in almost every sector of the global economy, causing continuing inflation, unless changes are made to the way money is created in the first place. Unfortunately, as 2008 Presidential Candidate Ron Paul explains, "The inflation tax, though hidden, only makes things worse. Taxing, borrowing, and inflating to satisfy wealth transfers from the middle class to the rich in an effort to pay for profligate government spending, can never make a nation wealthier."

When facing foreclosure, many homeowners feel quite lost and confused about options they may have available to save their homes. Foreclosure victims will, for various reasons, trust in only one solution to foreclosure at a time, and when that particular plan does not work, they jump right into a new method that is designed to help them stop foreclosure. This is one of the many mistakes homeowners can make that leads to the loss of their home, because they need to be considering more than one option at a time.

The main reason to consider more options to prevent the foreclosure than just one at a time is that every other plan can be used as a backup. Especially when one solution falls through at the last minute, it is much easier to be able to pull out a new solution right away, rather than having to begin all over again. The process of researching various companies to provide a different plan to avoid foreclosure can often be long and tedious, so having numerous backups early in the process will save time later on. Time in a foreclosure situation is the most important factor and can mean the difference between saving a home and seeing it lost to sheriff sale or eviction.

Furthermore, it is important not to rely on just one option because, if that solution does not work, the feelings of desperation that set in at the last minute may cause many homeowners to rely on the first plan presented to them that sounds good. This can leave foreclosure victims open to the threat of being taken advantage of by a foreclosure scam company that does nothing to protect their ownership rights in the home, and may even take thousands of dollars from them, in the form of up-front fees and costs. Losing a home is a stressful situation that does not need to be compounded by knowing one has been taken advantage of by an unscrupulous criminal.

In fact, many foreclosure scam companies will encourage their clients to rely on only their particular plan to help the homeowners stop foreclosure. This is a dangerous mistake for any foreclosure victim to make, and is a sure sign that the foreclosure help company is trying to protect their interest in taking money from the homeowners, rather than actually providing them with a viable way out of foreclosure. While it may be the advisable to work on only one solution at a time, is it not advisable at all to only rely on one. If foreclosure has taught homeowners only one lesson, it should be that life is unpredictable.

Thus, any homeowner that only relies on one option to keep their home or avoid foreclosure is doing them and their family a disservice. And any foreclosure help company that persuades its clients to focus on only one alternative to foreclosure is most likely not doing right by their client. Foreclosure happens for any number of reasons, not the least of which is the lack of a firm financial backup plan that can be relied upon in a hardship. The consequences of not having a backup plan to stop foreclosure can also result in negative, unintended consequences, and should be avoided at all costs.

The worst piece of advice anyone can give a homeowner facing foreclosure is simply to let the home go all the way through the foreclosure process and be sold at sheriff sale. There is no conceivable reason that any foreclosure victim should voluntarily decide to lose their home as part of an effort to keep their property. Homeowners who want to stop foreclosure should examine any other option that does not require them to do the exact opposite of what they are attempting.

The main reason homeowners should not let their homes go into foreclosure to save their homes is that losing the home to foreclosure precludes the possibility of having the widest array of potential options to stop the foreclosure process. If the process is complete, it can not be stopped, obviously. And once a house is sold at sheriff sale, the homeowners will not be able to negotiate for a repayment plan or apply for a foreclosure loan. This is because they do not own the house any longer. Even filing bankruptcy to avoid foreclosure as a last resort is no longer an option. So homeowners should do everything they can to avoid the house going into foreclosure.

Furthermore, letting a home go through the foreclosure process is a sure way to cause even more damage to the homeowners credit reports. Combined with numerous late payments, homeowners who have a foreclosure on their history will find it nearly impossible to qualify for any type of loan at a decent interest rate. (Of course, this assumes that homeowners would want to keep using credit after an event such as foreclosure.) Keeping the foreclosure off of the homeowners' credit one of the many ways that foreclosure victims can start the process of repairing their financial lives after foreclosure.

Unfortunately, numerous foreclosure scam operators, mostly involving complicated investment deals, will often recommend that homeowners let their homes go into foreclosure. The theory is that this will allow the investors to purchase the property at a steep discount at the sheriff sale or soon afterwards, and then set up an arrangement whereby the homeowners remain in the property as tenants with an option to purchase the property back after a set amount of time. Horror stories abound about homeowners letting the home go into foreclosure and signing over the deed or being stuck with a payment that is unaffordable. Then the investors will invariably evict the tenants, and the homeowners will have no other options besides legal action to get their home back.

These are some of the main reasons that ForeclosureFish.com never tells anyone just to let their home go into foreclosure. There are any number of other ways to avoid the foreclosure situation before the sheriff sale and before the end of the redemption period. Once a home is lost to foreclosure, many of the more efficient, least expensive ways to stop foreclosure are eliminated. If you are in foreclosure and someone is telling you to let it go through the sale, you should probably look for alternatives that can help save your home before the sale is completed. Saving a home after the sheriff sale is possible, but your options become limited because you no longer own the home.

With all of the news stories about record foreclosure rates, possible government bailouts to homeowners, and foreclosure scam horror stories, it is quite easy for homeowners to lose sight of their main goal: stop the foreclosure any reasonable way possible. With such a large amount of information (relevant and irrelevant), foreclosure victims are often confused about which companies to turn to for help, how to work with their lenders, and what options they may qualify for to save their homes.

The constant reports about foreclosure data across the country, although it is interesting, almost completely irrelevant to any specific homeowner's situation. This is because each foreclosure is different and unique, and broad, unfiltered foreclosure numbers are simply too abstract to help the specific foreclosure victims making up those numbers. While these reports will often place the blame for the foreclosure numbers on a variety of sources, such as lenders, appraisers, or the market in general, the fun of placing blame only goes so far. In most instances, the homeowners have faced a financial hardship that caused them to begin missing mortgage payments, and this specific hardship is what must be addressed to begin with, if the homeowners want to stop foreclosure and keep their homes.

Also, the possibility of a federally-imposed nationwide forbearance on any new or existing foreclosure proceedings may seem exciting and just what the homeowners are seeking. However, there is probably little chance that this plan will come through in time to save foreclosure victims who are currently facing the loss of their homes. Again, actively seeking out ways to stop foreclosure right now, before the situation gets any worse, is what homeowners need to focus on. Even after that point, it may be better for foreclosure victims to begin working on their credit or overall financial plans, instead of continuing to rely on or hope for government handouts. Often, these subsidies are entirely too small to impact most homeowners anyway.

Granted, there are numerous foreclosure scam stories that are published around the country on a daily basis. This is the case even when foreclosure rates are not at record highs. However, these articles often scare homeowners away from examining various options to stop foreclosure, including loss mitigation and private investor deals. There are crooks operating in every area of the economy; it is simply up to the individual homeowners to use all of the resources at their disposal to make sure they are working with a company or individual whom they trust. If they feel pressured or uneasy about working with someone to help save their homes from foreclosure, then it is best to get some distance and examine other companies or ways to get out of foreclosure.

Obviously, for homeowners who are currently behind in their mortgage payments, there is a real danger of becoming distracted by all of the "background noise" going on in the foreclosure industry right now. Constant reports of record foreclosure numbers, government hearings on predatory lending, and individual foreclosure scam articles can provide homeowners with much-needed information on what they can do to stop foreclosure, but they must be the ones who take that initial step to save their homes. In foreclosure situations, any distraction or misplaced focus may lead to homeowners losing their homes unnecessarily. This is an occurrence that is completely avoidable.

The book that is the subject of this review is John Taylor Gatto's Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling. It is a collection of several essays and speeches written by the author, who is an advocate of reforming the American educational system.

Gatto's basic premise is that our schools do exactly what they were designed to do, and they do it brilliantly. Unfortunately, though, schools have not been designed to educate anyone; on the contrary, they are designed to churn out mass production citizens, much like an assembly line can mass produce cars that are nearly identical in their finished products. This process does not call for the education of students -- it simply calls for their imprisonment in the school system for hours a day, along with a continuance of school in the form of homework and television. In fact, Gatto also includes modern television programming as contributing to the false education that masquerades as "schooling."

Instead of receiving an actual education, students of schools follow a different kind of lesson plan. Some of the lessons they learn include confusion, class position, indifference, emotional dependency, intellectual dependency, provisional self-esteem, and the fact that students can not hide. This education results in graduates who have never been given the time to develop an individual personality, can not self-reflect, and whose self-esteem and self-confidence are completely based on external factors, such as grades, gold stars, or a positive performance review by a superior. The constantly ringing bells of school to signal a period change also result in students being taught that nothing in life is worth finishing, so nothing is worth starting. It is simply better to accept one's place, even though no one can quite understand why the place has been given to them, or what they are supposed to do with it if no one tells them what to do.

The author also argues that the modern school system creates psychological problems in students, who end up with a life full of dependency and aimlessness. The products of school, according to Gatto, are indifferent to the adult world and refuse to grow up, have very little curiosity, a poor sense of the future, a poor sense of the past, a mean streak directed at other students, teachers, and others, uneasy with any situation requiring intimacy, materialistic, and unable to handle new challenges. Of course, these problems make students the perfect product needed in an economy founded on mass production and cheap labor.

In terms of solutions, Gatto recommends homeschooling with a focus on family and community involvement. Schools, social clubs, and professional organizations, because they are merely networks, will not be able to replace a child's community and family life. No matter how many networks a person has, these will not meet a person's emotional needs. Gatto gives the example of asking the reader how quickly they began forgetting the names of classmates, teammates, or fellow club members, and comparing that with the number of aunts and uncles the reader has forgotten. This is designed to reinforce the idea that ties of family and community are more important to an individual's individuality than loose bonds associated with most networks.

Gatto's conclusion is that there is no right way to educate people as a whole. They need to educate themselves, find their own interests, and develop their own internal processes. Mass schooling will only result in more mass people, who are controlled by mass media and work in an economy that requires mass obedience to menial jobs. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling details the problems and solutions to the widespread psychological problems of numerous members of society, and pins the blame squarely on the insight that mass production students, who have weak family and community ties and are always competing for a "good grade" from a superior, who are lonely, desperate, and unhappy, lacking the experiences of educating themselves and indifferent to almost everything except their present environment, are the perfect finished product of schooling. As Gatto emphasizes, "education and schooling are, as we all have experienced, mutually exclusive terms."

Just in the past few weeks, a great number of people that we have talked to have fallen prey to one of the most dangerous mistakes to make in a foreclosure situation. Namely, they thought that they could apply for a refinance and actually qualify for a loan to stop the foreclosure process. In ever single instance, unfortunately, the method completely failed, with the mortgage broker leaving the homeowners hanging at the last minute -- sometimes a few days before the sheriff sale of their homes.

It is quite unfortunate, but homeowners who want to apply for a foreclosure loan will often call one mortgage company after another until they find one that will work on the loan for them. In most cases, they are not qualified for the loan, but that fact does not really matter to the mortgage broker. In fact, the homeowner will have to pay for all of the expenses, such as the appraisal, before the loan is sent to a lender for approval. Since the mortgage broker does not have any real interest in the property, he can rely on the slim outside chance of getting a foreclosure loan that works. The homeowners, on the other hand, have their home wrapped up in the deal and can not afford to put their faith in a company where they have no hope of finding a permanent solution.

Refinancing to stop foreclosure can be a great option, but homeowners need to realize that the qualifications for a loan when they have missed numerous mortgage payments are very, very tough to meet. This is not such a complicated concept: if you borrow several hundred thousand dollars, and you fail to meet the payments on it, other banks will be much less willing to loan you another several hundred thousand dollars to help you pay back the loan that is so far behind. Banks usually hang around with each other in a big group, and when one of them is betrayed in the paying back of a loan, then the others are less willing to help out.

Of course, this is not to persuade homeowners to give up seeking a refinance; in fact, one of the things they should do as soon as they know their payment is going up or they are going to have trouble making their payment is to apply for a refinance. Refinancing very quickly can help the homeowners avoid facing the danger of losing the home to foreclosure.

But the problem is, the qualifications to get a lender to approve this type of loan become more and more difficult as time goes on. Think about how tough it is to get a loan with one missed payment, and then add in another 4-6 more payments, plus an active foreclosure lawsuit, and it becomes very difficult and very expensive to find a lender to approve a foreclosure loan.

In addition, when homeowners apply to one mortgage broker after another, in most cases, the brokers will submit the clients' applications to the same exact lenders. But homeowners get the impression they are submitting their loan application to various mortgage companies and just need to find "the right one" that will approve their loan to stop foreclosure. Few homeowners are aware that multiple brokers will submit the same file to the same two or three foreclosure lenders as the last broker did. the lenders will turn down the file again, after pulling the homeowners' credit again, and making them pay for another appraisal up front.

Once this happens enough times, the homeowner will finally be turned down with little or no time to find another solution before the home goes to sheriff sale. This is why homeowners need more options and need to learn more about how to stop foreclosure, rather than just relying on one method at a time, or, even worse, relying on one demonstrably impossible option that has been turned down multiple times.

Foreclosure happens for a large number of reasons and leads to an even greater variety of outcomes for the homeowners. From a devastating financial hardship to a simple case of buying too much home, foreclosure victims should take care to examine two of the main question that will help them determine what options they have to stop foreclosure. These two important questions are, "Did a hardship occur?" and "Can you afford your regular monthly payment now?"

If a homeowner experienced a hardship, such as a loss of job, leading to foreclosure, but can make the payments again, there is a good chance that there will be many options available. These might include getting a loan to stop foreclosure or working out a mortgage forbearance agreement with the lender. Foreclosure victims who experience a hardship but recover completely are in a much better position to prove to the bank that the hardship was only temporary and does not reflect the essential ability to pay back the mortgage.

For homeowners who went through a financial hardship to face foreclosure, but can not afford their regular mortgage payments any longer, there may be few options to stop foreclosure. Occasionally, a loan modification may help lower the monthly payment, but this is a rare occurence. Most often, the homeowners in this situation simply need to sell the home, either to a private investor or on the open market. In the case of the homeowners wanting to live in the property, then a private investor is usually the best option for stopping the foreclosure process, lowering the payment, and having a chance to remain in the home. But if there is really no way to afford the property any longer, then selling should be looked at; if selling is not possible, then speaking to the lender about a deed in lieu of foreclosure is another option.

The next case would be homeowners who did not face a hardship and can afford their monthly payments again. This might describe a family that saw their adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) reset to a higher payment that they could not afford, resulting in numerous missed mortgage payments. However, they were able to recover by taking a second job or receiving a raise at work, which put them into a position to make the higher payments. What homeowners in this situation really need is the chance for a fresh start, either through a foreclosure refinance, mortgage modification through the lender, or some sort of repayment plan. Using a private investor just to get the property out of foreclosure is another option to be considered. The main roadblock to any of these options, though, is simply the fact that the foreclosure victims appear as if they did not anticipate the higher payments, or were relying on an uncertain future -- two big financial mistakes for anyone to make.

The last case is the foreclosure victims who did not face a hardship and can not afford their payments any longer. In this case, selling the property is probably the most viable option to stop foreclosure. It would be difficult to ask the bank for a workout program, especially if there was no hardship. And a foreclosure loan would most likely end up with higher mortgage payments, so this is also not advisable for the homeowners. This case is most often the homeowners who purchased more home than they could afford and simply can not keep making the payments. Obviously, the best plan would be to stop foreclosure by unloading the house any way possible, and purchasing a new, more affordable home when possible.

Most, if not all, homeowners will fall into one of these broad categories of foreclosure situations. Depending on all of the circumstances that lead to foreclosure, homeowners in each situation may have more or less options that they can use to stop foreclosure and save as much of their credit as they possibly can. The most important things to do right away is talk to the lender about various options they have, and start researching how the foreclosure process actually works, especially by learning what the foreclosure laws are for the state in which the property is located. Then putting together a real plan to save money or earn more income, as well as talking to various experts about how foreclosure works, will give the homeowners the best chance possible of finding a solution to foreclosure.

Most of our posts are about how homeowners can get out of the foreclosure process by any means possible. We also focus a lot on helping foreclosure victims realize how they can use the resources they already have to reduce their expenses without having to take on a second job (although taking a second job while in foreclosure is a very good idea). One of the best ways to decrease high housing expenses is to find ways to improve the overall energy efficiency of a home.

One of the great books that goes into this very topic is The Home Energy Diet, by Paul Scheckel. The book is described as, "With rising energy costs, homeowners are beginning to examine the energy efficiency of their own homes, asking questions about where energy comes from and how much it costs, how to choose new appliances and what options exist for renewable energy. The Home Energy Diet answers all these questions and more while helping readers take control of their personal energy use and costs so they can save money, live more comfortably and help the environment." There are basic overviews of how energy is used in a house, how specific areas of energy are used, such as electricity, hot water, and heating and air conditioning, and very helpful lists of how to put a home on the "energy diet."

If nothing else, the book helps everyone who lives in a house understand how much money is actually being spent for such luxuries as keeping the computer turned on all day, not unplugging seldom-used appliances, and how much hot water really costs. Some of this information could be absolutely vital for homeowners facing a financial hardship that may lead to foreclosure. Especially with rising heating and electricity bills throughout the winter, saving a few hundred dollars a month on energy bills can positively impact many foreclosure victims, even to the point of being able to save enough money to stop foreclosure before they lose their homes.

And obviously, a home energy diet is just one area that homeowners can look into when attempting to lower their overall housing costs and monthly expenses. Some of the information in the book is more technically advanced, but the majority of it is simple, easy to follow guidelines that can help anyone save some extra money each month. Other areas that homeowners can examine include transportation and food costs, and there are many other books and websites that provide helpful information on lowering these expenses.

Of course, the two largest expenses for most homeowners are taxes and inflation, which have only a small chance of going away. However, there is some hope for everyone who does not like paying taxes or seeing the value of their dollar drop further and further. But until these changes actually become a reality, it is much wiser for homeowners who want to stop foreclosure to save on the little things until they have saved their homes. But saving money in any area of life is much better than losing a home due to the unwillingness to make any sacrifices.

One of the most overlooked ways for homeowners to help stop foreclosure on their homes is to take back control of their incomes. With a regular job, the control is squarely in the hands of the employer -- not the employee. For homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments, this means that they may find themselves with no income at all once the next crisis hits the stock market in whatever sector of the economy is underperforming. Starting a business that is not completely dependent on one sector or one idea is probably the most effective way for any consumer to regain control of their income and their future.

The main reason that jobs do not provide any sort of security for homeowners is that the employee is simply trading hours for a set amount of money. If the business has no more need of that employee's hours, then the trade of money for work will be terminated, leaving the homeowners to face an uncertain future with the possibility of going deeply into debt, declaring bankruptcy, or facing foreclosure. The agreement between employers and employees is shaky, at best, and arbitrary, at worst. And, even worse, the employee has no say in the employer's decision to begin laying off workers.

Owning a business, though, puts the homeowners back in control of their lives, and ends the necessity of spending one-third to one-half of their lives performing a task that they hate for a boss that they can't stand who can't stand them. Most managers, unfortunately, are misinformed amateurs who only progressed up the corporate ladder by proving to their managers that they were the best at following orders, no matter how tedious, unnecessary, or counter-productive the orders were. Numerous years of college also prove the ability of a worker to sit for long periods of time in the face of extreme boredom, without developing the capacity to voice reasonable dissent or novel opinions. In fact, owning a business is one of the only ways for most consumers to escape from living a dreadful life of tedium and stagnation.

For even more reasons why owning a business is a much better idea than trading time for money, this article entitled "10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job" is quite informative. Jobs keep consumers bored enough to consume more and feel exhausted to the point of receiving no satisfaction from their overconsumption, because they have nothing to look forward to, besides more work. Homeowners who have learned how unstable the job market really is now have to choose between becoming independent in a business they control, or voluntarily shackling themselves to another employer who will fire them at will when the going gets tough.

For homeowners who are facing the loss of their homes due to foreclosure, there is an even greater need to make a better life. As stressful as the experience can be, foreclosure can also teach its victims many important lessons about becoming financially stable without the need for an inhuman corporate master to ration out as few dollars as possible every few weeks. In its simplest form, the choice comes down to giving up control of the future and their income, or keeping hold of it and developing their personal skills to the point of reaching their potential.

An overlooked method of stopping foreclosure is the use of a private investor or lender to purchase a home and work out an arrangement with the former homeowners to allow them to remain living in the property. If a repayment plan is unaffordable, the homeowners do not qualify for a loan modification or foreclosure loan, and do not wish to pursue bankruptcy to stop foreclosure, working with a private individual can be a remarkably flexible and affordable plan. These types of agreements can be structured in several different ways, with the homeowners retaining more or less of their ownership rights after the transfer.

With a standard lease or rental agreement, the homeowners will sell their homes to an investor to stop foreclosure. The investor will then put together an agreement for the former foreclosure victims to rent the property for a specified period of time at a specified payment. Usually, the rentors will have the option to purchase the home back from the investor within a set period, usually one to two years. In this type of plan, the homeowners do not have many legal rights in the property, because they are considered tenants. A lease agreement is a very effective way for the homeowners to stop foreclosure and end up with a reasonable payment.

As an alternative to this plan, the investor may give the foreclosure victims a land contract, which protects the former homeowners' property rights in the property. A land contract acts very similar to a mortgage, in that the foreclosure victims would be able to deduct their yearly property tax payments, and would be able to refinance the property, using their land contract payments as proof of on-time mortgage payments. The investor would be the owner of record, but the foreclosure victims would have all rights and responsibilities that are attached to the house. In terms of a program to stop foreclosure, the land contract is a great option for both the private investor and the former homeowners. The investor gives away the responsibility of managing the property, and the foreclosure victims have more legal rights and protections.

One of the main drawbacks of this type of plan is the potential for shady, criminal investors to take advantage of homeowners in desperate situations. Unfortunately, there are a lot of horrible stories of homeowners who have been scammed by investors who are only out to steal a home, strip the property of its equity, and move on to the next homeowner, leaving behind a trail of evicted families. This makes it vitally important for homeowners to consider and evaluate the possible investors they may work wth. In this type of situation, where the property will be sold to stop foreclosure and the foreclosure victims will have a limited time frame in which to purchase the property back, the agreement must not be set up for the homeowners to fail. The private investor's experience and compassion will mean all the difference between the homeowners understanding all of the terms of the agreement and making it through the plan successfully, and being taken advantage of before they knew it.

Using a private investor to stop foreclosure is one of the most flexible and affordable options to save a home. Avoiding foreclosure scams is paramount to making this work, along with a general understanding on the part of the foreclosure victims of how the agreement will be structured. However, homeowners who use this option can effectively save their homes and their credit, and have the most affordable payment possible. When a foreclosure loan, mortgage modification, or bankruptcy is not an option, then consider using a private investor to stop foreclosure.

In recent weeks, we have been conducting an unofficial survey of many of our clients in order to better understand how to help them stop foreclosure. While every situation is unique, a few patterns were easily spotted during the course of our study. By changing a few simple actions, we have found, many homeowners would stand a much better chance of being able to save their homes.

The first pattern that we spotted is that the majority of homeowners do not consider giving up nonessential bills and expenses. This is a horribly misinformed mistake to make, as every extra dollar can go a long way during a financial hardship. These sacrifices may involve giving up cable TV, not stopping at Starbucks on the way to work, or eating lunch in the office, instead of going out every day. With just a few bills eliminated, the homeowners would be able to save more towards a repayment plan, recover from the hardship a little more easily, and be able to start a credit repair plan much sooner. It is simply a mistake to decide to keep paying for nonessential bills, when it is much more important to put together a real plan to stop foreclosure.

Also, many homeowners do not consider the possibility of picking up a second job to earn extra income. Even if the cause of the financial hardship was a loss of job, and there are no immediate prospects for a new position, it is important to make some sort of income during the transition period. This can keep the home from going to foreclosure, and can allow the homeowners to negotiate with the lender to make even a partial payment, which is better than no payment at all. A part-time job may not provide much in the way of income, and will probably not give the homeowners a long-term solution to their problem, but it can prevent the foreclosure from becoming a much more devastating experience. Having some source of income can also help the homeowners stop foreclosure before it even begins.

The most surprising pattern we noticed was that, instead of lowering bills or taking on a part-time job, homeowners will contact website after website, in a vain attempt to find a magic solution to stop foreclosure. Without a major shift in behavior, there will be no solution to the foreclosure, and no website can put together an affordable payment plan for homeowners who are spending too much and making too little. It just can not be done, no matter what the circumstances. And, unfortunately, the foreclosure help companies will make all the promises in the world, and sometimes they even do the work they offer to provide. But with homeowners defeating themselves at every turn, it will be impossible for anyone to help the homeowners save their home.

So, as a result of these self-defeating behaviors, too many homeowners end up losing their homes -- some even contact us after they have lost their homes, in a futile effort to contact more websites for help, rather than putting a plan together to stop foreclosure. This is an unfortunate, entirely avoidable situation, and one that homeowners should everything they can to avoid. There may be no Comedy Central for a few months, and Starbucks may have to wait, but these are, honestly, very simple sacrifices for anyone to make if they are serious about saving their home from foreclosure.

With home prices falling, the value of the dollar declining, inflation running rampant, and energy prices rising prematurely, it should cause all of us to take a few moments to consider what money actually is, and why we all place such a huge value on it. Is the pursuit of green paper, coins, or digital points worth the efforts that we put into them, and why, increasingly, is the same efforts generating less money -- even as inflation indicates that there is more money to be had?

It is this question that homeowners nationwide should be asking. For all of their hard work, they are rewarded with job cuts, higher prices for everyday goods and services, and increasingly strict lending guidelines to take out a loan from a bank. This begs the question of who is in control of the economy and the money -- the people, or some secret decision-making body who decides how much or how little money to filter out to the population. And where does all of this money get its power from?

Obviously, the value of any form of money is based solely on the faith of the people using the money. If no one in the world believed they could trade goods for green paper, then all of the dollars in the world would be worth little more than paper to recycle into something more worthwhile to humanity. But, because hundreds of millions (if not billions) of people believe a dollar is inherently valuable, the US economy can continue functioning the way it has for decades. Of course, the dollar used to be backed by precious metals; i.e., gold, but now it is solely backed by faith. The paper used to be a receipt that could be traded in for an amount of gold, but now it is only a medium of exchange, better than some, worse than others.

And now, even the paper is disappearing as the banking system has converted more and more to electronic "points." These "points" are simply a number in a computer that can be traded for actual things. I can trade you some nonexistent points and you would give me your car, or even your house. In fact, you would probably rather I give you these points than if I offered you cash for your house, since you would just take the cash and convert it into points in the end, anyway. And then you would use your new points to buy other goods.

This may seem like the arcades that were popular in the 1980's and 1900's, where you would play a game (go to work) in order to earn tickets (get paid a salary), and then trade the tickets in for a prize (down payment on a house). The difference in real life is that everyone else is playing the same games, less tickets are being given, and the cost of prizes has skyrocketed. Not to mention the fact that any game that you are playing can, without notice, stop the game and kick you out of the arcade. And you can not just go to another game and start earning tickets again -- you must wait for a whole new arcade to offer you the chance to play their games and score points.

Welcome to the monetary system in America. Go to your arcade-work, play your game-job, and ask for enough tickets-money to afford the biggest prize-house, and hope against hope that the arcade-work will not reject-downsize you.

And where do the banks fit in, you ask? Remember those machines where you'd put in your (relatively) valuable dollars in exchange for (relatively) worthless tokens? Please deposit your paycheck (Payday loan), car (title loan), or self-esteem (signature loan), and get your new loan that will not be enough to improve your life in any substantial way.

If you think you have money problems, just remember -- you only have the problem because you (and everyone else around you) believe that money has some value to it. It doesn't.