6b
Okay, so now that you have an idea of what
protections the federal law gives you as a consumer. Let’s go
over what to do if you have a consumer complaint. There are
several agencies that are designed to help. If you are
experiencing an issue with a company and cannot resolve it
directly, we recommend starting at 
www.USA.gov/consumer-complaints which offers an easy to
navigate list of agencies and information.  Complaints can be
made on-line or in writing with most agencies. Gather copies of
any proof, receipts or documentation to submit with your
complaint, always keep the originals. Please remember, if you
had made the purchase that is in question with your credit card,
you can dispute the charge by contacting your credit card
company. Let’s talk about the offices and agencies that offer help
when you have a consumer complaint. There is your State
Attorney General’s Office for one.  You can go to www.naag.org
to find your State’s Attorney General.  The State Attorney
General’s office helps protect consumers and offers information
and the opportunity to file a complaint. In addition to possibly 
helping resolve a particular issue, hearing complaints from the
general public will help your States Attorney General to see
patterns of business practices that may be of concern.  The
Better Business Bureau is another agency to contact. The Better
Business Bureau is a private entity and not a government agency. 
If you file a complaint, they will notify the company of your
complaint. The Better Business Bureau does not have authority
over other businesses, although many companies will try to
resolve any complaints that were made, to keep a clean record. 
To start the complaint process, do a search for your local Better 
Business Bureau office. Complaints can be submitted in writing
or on the local office’s website.   As mentioned previously the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a government agency. 
You can submit a complaint regarding a financial product or 
service by going to www.consumerfinance.gov .  The Bureau will
forward your complaint to the company and share their
response. You will be able to review the response and give
feedback. They will forward complaints to other agencies if they
will be able to better assist the consumer. Also worth mentioning
is the Federal Trade Commission or FTC. It is a government
agency and works on many consumer issues. The FTC does not
resolve individual complaints but filing a complaint does help
establish patterns of abuse and fraud that help law enforcement 
agencies. The FTC offers a wealth of information and articles. Go
to www.ftc.gov or www.consumer.ftc.gov for more information. 
If you would like to get legal advice about a specific situation
contact a lawyer in your area.  
Let’s talk about Coping with an Unexpected Financial Crisis. 
Despite one’s best efforts a financial crisis can occur
unexpectedly. This section is to provide you with strategies for
seeking advice or assistance from public and private service
agencies and avoid going into debt if you should have an
unexpected financial crisis. After all, knowledge is power.  In
previous units you learned about periodic expenses, emergency
funds, insurance, goals and savings. All of these topics illustrate
planning and will help to avoid having financial crisis in the 
future. In the case of periodic expenses, expenses that come up
infrequently, if they are planned for they won’t become an
emergency. If money was not set aside for expenses such as
home repair and medical expenses, these types of items can easily 
turn into a financial crises.  We know that emergency funds can
be used for unforeseen items or to support you, should lose your
source of income. Typical advice is to have 3 to 6 months’ worth
of living expenses in an emergency fund, but many advise that 8
to 12 months’ of expenses is a better goal. As discussed earlier
Insurance is vital to avoiding debt and savings depletion. Don’t
leave yourself unprotected. To compare and shop for health 
insurance go to www.healthcare.gov.  If you do find yourself in a
financial crisis down the road, you should seek out and examine
all other options before resorting to borrowing and incurring 
debt. Look at tax consequences and penalties and explore other
options before borrowing from a retirement account. You will
need that account to be there for you when you do retire.  
Which of the strategies you choose will depend on your individual
circumstances and the type of financial emergency you face. You
should pursue as many different strategies as you can and don’t 
make the mistake of “counting on” one solution.  Have a “Plan B”
and even a “Plan C” whenever possible. Don’t wait to take all
possible actions before exhausting your emergency funds.  Here
are some things to look at immediately: If your household income
goes down, make an “emergency spending plan.” This is a
temporary plan which cuts all unnecessary spending. A common
mistake is to continue to spend on non-essential items until
circumstances become dire. Housing is the single biggest
monthly payment for most people. If your housing payment has
become unaffordable, look at all possible options to cut your 
housing payment. If you rent, see what arrangements can be
made to rent a less expensive unit or get out of your lease early
to seek less expensive housing. If you have a mortgage you might
consider renting out your home or a portion of it to help pay the 
mortgage.  If you believe the Mortgage is going to be an issue, 
talk to your lender and a housing counselor about possible
mortgage forbearance or other mortgage assistance programs. If
you’ve lost your income look into an unemployment forbearance
program.  The place to get information on mortgage assistance 
programs is www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov.  There you will
find a number of Mortgage programs and the eligibility
information for each.  And be sure to check www.treasury.gov
for information on the Hardest Hit Fund. That is where you can
see if your state has funds available. A good way to elicit help is
to consult with a HUD Approved Housing Counselor. A HUD
approved agency is a nonprofit that is approved for housing 
counseling through U.S. Government’s Department of Housing
and Urban Development. They are free to use and will speak to
you about specific programs and your situation. A listing of HUD
Approved Agencies can be found at www.hud.gov or call 
(800)569-4287 for HUD’s interactive voice system. If you’re
thinking about selling a vehicle or other secured debt, the key is
to find someone willing to pay at least the amount owed under
your contract. You cannot “sell” a vehicle or other collateral for a 
secured debt unless you can pay off the balance owed on it with
the funds. The same rings true for “turning in” a vehicle to your
lender. If you owe more than what they sell it for, the lender can
charge you the difference, this is known as a deficiency debt. 
Certain hardships may qualify you for help and concessions from
your creditors. No matter what your situation, it’s a good idea to
talk to a supervisor and find out what types of help may be
available.  Consider all possibilities. Can you sell any possessions
to raise money? Can you call upon family or friends? Can you
earn extra money?  As you explore ways to earn extra money, be 
aware of scams. If any company asks you for money for supplies
or for any reason do not work for them.  There could be
assistance specifically for your particular emergency. The United
Way has many non-profit and government partners that are 
community-based and offer a variety of services. They will direct
you to one of their partners when you dial 2-1-1.  You can seek
Advice or Assistance from Public and Private Service Agencies. 
Social workers are a prime source of advice and information. You
can find a licensed Social Worker in your area at,
www.helpstartshere.org and at faith-based organizations such as
Catholic Social Services, which serves those of all faiths.  A great
place to start your search for help is www.benefits.gov. This is a
government website that will assist you by showing you what
benefits you may be eligible for. You can also apply for 
assistance through this website. Another resource is the US
Department of Health and Human services. It offers information 
regarding health clinics, you can find a listing at www.hrsa.gov. 
So let’s do a quick review of what we learned in this chapter. In
this last unit, we looked at smart Consumer Skills and our rights
as consumers under the federal protection acts. We also looked
at what to do if we believe our rights have been violated. We
learned where to go for help in the case of a financial crisis. We
also learned to use techniques such as delaying purchases when
possible, negotiation, and walk away power. Don't let a
salesperson talk you into anything --remember- it's YOUR money.
Know how to use unit pricing, and comparison shop to get the
best value. This course is only a start. Remember to KEEP
Learning!  The workbook that accompanies this video is a good 
review, and it'll help you remember what you've learned today.
It's free and you can get it on Butterfly's web site on the same
page as this video.  Let me leave you with ONE final thought: It's
your money and your life. Only you have the power to reach
your goals and get what you want.  You can do it! This concludes
the Butterfly’s Financial Education video. We thank you for
watching. If you are seeking a certification of completion, please 
proceed to the question portion of the course.