Problem: Article: You need to know how much you owe. Accordingly, go through your papers and gather everything you can find that shows your debt. If you can’t find your paperwork, then contact the creditor. In particular, look for the following on each debt:  Total amount. Include the principal as well as late fees and other charges. Who currently owns the debt. Date you went into default. Not all debts are the same. You should divide them into the following categories so that you can decide how to tackle them.  Secured debt. This is debt backed up by collateral. Your home loan or car loan are common examples.  Unsecured debt. Credit card, personal loans, and medical debt are common examples. No collateral backs up this debt. Non-negotiable debt. Some debt can’t be negotiated or is very difficult to negotiate. Your alimony and child support payments, as well as student loans, are in this category. Since you can’t settle all debts, you should prioritize how you will pay them. Since money is tight, you probably can’t pay everything. Decide which debts you will continue to pay and which ones you will attempt to settle. Everyone is different. However, it is fairly common to prioritize debts in the following manner:  Pay non-negotiable debts—child support, alimony, student loans, taxes. You should also consider reducing your child support payments, lowering your alimony, and changing the terms of your student loans. Doing so will free up money. Pay your secured debts second. Make your car payment so you can still get to work, and pay your mortgage so you don’t lose your home. If push comes to shove, you can always sell your home. You might not want to, but you don’t have a lot of options when you are financially distressed.  Unsecured debt. You should work on settling these debts for less than they are worth. Some debts are so old that a creditor cannot legally collect on them. Take out your paperwork and find out when you went into default. If the debt is too old, then the statute of limitations might have expired. This is the amount of time a creditor has to collect on a debt.  If the statute of limitations has expired, then you shouldn’t even negotiate settlement. Leave it alone. You can find a table showing each state’s statute of limitations here: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/state-statutes-of-limitations-for-old-debts-1.aspx. You will be most successful negotiating a settlement for unsecured debt. You should spend some time thinking about how much you want to offer each creditor. Generally, use the following rules of thumb:  If the debt is still with your creditor, then you might be able to settle for around 50% of the face value. For example, if you owe $30,000 in credit card debt, you could settle for $12,000-18,000. If the creditor has sold the debt to a collections agency, you might be able to settle for less You may have other options than debt settlement. For this reason, you should meet with a credit counselor who can walk you through them. You can find credit counselors at your local credit union, university, housing authority, or military base. Call and schedule a meeting. At the meeting, ask the following questions:  How will debt settlement impact your credit score? Is bankruptcy a better option than debt settlement? What are the differences between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy? How can you get on top of mortgage or car debt? Debt settlement isn’t for everyone. Fortunately, you have many other options you should consider before contacting your creditors to negotiate a settlement. Consider the following:  Your creditors might agree to lower your interest rate or let you stop making payments for a few months until you get back on your feet (which is called “forbearance”). If your financial problems are temporary, then these might be better options than settling the debt. Come up with a budget and determine what you can pay each month, then call up the credit card companies and explain your situation.  You can work with a credit counselor on a debt management plan. Your counselor will contact your creditors and try to get late fees waived. They may also get lower interest rates. You make one payment to the counselor, who distributes the payments to your creditors.  Consolidate your debt. If you have several high-interest loans, you can try to roll them into one personal loan with a lower interest rate. You might also use credit card balance transfers, which typically give you 12-18 months with 0% APR. However, avoid taking out a home equity line of credit to pay unsecured debt. When done right, debt consolidation might lower your monthly payments to something affordable.
Summary: Gather information about your debts. Categorize your debts. Prioritize repayment on your debts. Check how old the debt is. Determine what you should offer each creditor. Seek credit counseling. Consider your other options.

Problem: Article: . The first step in estimating your systolic blood pressure is to locate your pulse. Your pulse will give you basic information you need to estimate if your systolic blood pressure is relatively normal. Keep in mind this is a very rough estimate and really only tells you if your systolic blood pressure is not low — it doesn't indicate high blood pressure.  Take two fingers, preferably your index and middle fingers, and place them just below the wrist creases on the thumb side of your hand. Don't use your thumb, as your thumb has a strong enough pulse to interfere with this process. Once you’ve got your two fingers in the general area, see if you can feel your radial pulse – the shockwave generated by the beating of your heart. If you feel your pulse, this indicates that your systolic measurement is at least 80 mmHg, which is normal. This does not, however, give you any information as to whether or not your blood pressure is high. If you don’t feel your pulse, your systolic is likely below 80 mmHg, which is still normal.  The reason this indicates your blood pressure is at least 80 mmHg is because your radial artery (the artery in your wrist) is small and your blood pressure has to be at least 80 mmHg for a pulse to reach it.  Not feeling your pulse does not indicate health problems. Estimating your blood pressure without a cuff will give you no information about your diastolic pressure. Some studies have questioned the efficacy of estimating systolic pressure using your pulse. You should recheck your pulse later in the day to get an idea of how your pulse increases after some activity. This will give you more information to determine whether your blood pressure is low, high, or normal.  If you don’t have a detectable pulse after moderate activity, there is a chance you could have low blood pressured. Consult your doctor if you suspect any irregularities.
Summary:
Place your fingers on the inside of your wrist Notice your pulse. Recheck your pulse after you’ve been moderately active.