Amazon.com description: Product Description: To most consumers, credit means little more than a form of perpetual debt to which a monthly payment is applied. In this book, Richard Jorgensen explains how the credit industry works, who has control and influence over credit records, and how consumers can build a solid credit rating and use credit to get what they want. Readers learn how to find lenders and negotiate loans, manage credit accounts, correct credit and billing errors, overcome a bad credit history, decide when and how to file for bankruptcy, and more. Jorgensen also covers consumer credit laws, credit clinic rip-off schemes, and the many ways to put credit to work in small businesses and real estate. Sample credit applications and reports are included.