Business

Saxton Associates Poor Review: Credit Card Consolidation

Published

5 years ago

May 11, 2020

Matthew Wiles

Saxton Associates and Credit 9 has been flooding the market with credit card consolidation offers.

Should you respond to Saxton Associates or Credit 9 and trust them with your debt consolidation process?

If you have been thinking about it and you just received a “too good to be true” loan offer in the mail from Saxton Associates or Credit 9 – follow your instincts. Do you really think you qualify for a 3.99% interest rate? Do you really think that reservation code is especially for you?

Credit card consolidation can help you in a number of ways to eventually pay off your entire debt. It can provide you with many benefits, such as reduced overall interest rate, lower monthly payments and simplified payments.

Credit card consolidation combines all of your credit card balances into one grand total. Thus, you have to make one payment each month rather than multiple payments. The right credit card consolidation option payment entails smaller interest expenses, which, in turn, makes debt repayment much easier.

Here are the 5 best credit card consolidation options that you can consider to pay off your credit card balances:

Credit Counseling

Working with a non-profit credit counseling firm is one of the best means of credit card consolidation. These firms first analyze your unique financial scenario and then suggest a plan that will help you to overcome your financial problems. Non-profit credit counseling firms can serve you in a number of ways. They can help you with budgeting, spending habits, debt management and money management.

However, before committing yourself to any credit counseling firm, you must do your research to ensure that it is a reputable organization.

The credit counseling firm will negotiate with your creditors so that you gain concessions to help you pay off debt. All of your credit card balances will be combined into a single amount so that you have to make a single monthly payment. You will make the payment to the credit counseling firm, which will then pay your creditors. Credit counseling firms negotiate with creditors to lower your interest rate, reduce the debt amount, waive fees or gain any other concession.

You may have to pay fees for some credit counseling services. You may also have to agree to certain terms, such as not applying for a new line of credit or using the credit cards that you currently hold.

Personal Loan for Credit Card Consolidation

Personal loans are another means of credit card consolidation. You can take out a personal loan to pay off all your credit card balances. When all your credit card balances are settled, you will need to make only one monthly payment to the creditor that extended the personal loan. This will simplify payments and save you time and effort. A good choice of personal loan may also imply a reduced interest rate.

If you have good credit, your chances of getting lower interest rates on a personal loan may increase. The advantage of personal loans is that many different kinds are available to borrowers. Each one of them has their specific terms and conditions. You can select a personal loan with terms and conditions that can help you with debt management. There are also lenders that submit funds directly to credit card companies to minimize the chance that the loan amount will be used for any other purpose. A prequalification option is also available with many lenders. You can take advantage of this to search for options without bringing down your credit score. This might be a good credit card consolidation option for you.

The biggest drawback to personal loans is that you will have to meet the lender’s criteria in order to qualify. If you have a low credit score, then you may not be able to get an interest rate that is substantially lower than your credit cards. You will also have to watch out for origination fees, which add to the cost of paying back debt. You may have to pay hundreds of dollars as origination fees with some lenders.

Balance Transfer Credit Card for Credit Card Consolidation

With the help of a balance transfer credit card, you can transfer all of your credit card balances into your new account. Most balance transfer credit cards carry a zero percent introductory APR that extends into several months. This zero APR time frame can give you the opportunity to pay back your credit card debt without incurring any interest. Debt payment will be much easier without accumulating interest, making this a viable credit card consolidation option.

However, to take full advantage of balance transfer credit cards, you must pay back the entire debt within the zero APR time period. Otherwise, you will have to pay interest on the balance transfers and the plan will backfire.

One key point to look out for is the balance transfer fee. Some cards impose balance transfer fees that increase the burden of debt payment. You cannot transfer an amount greater than your credit limit.

Take Help from Friends and Family for Credit Card Consolidation

You can also think about getting money from your friends or family members if that is possible. However, before obtaining funds this way, make sure that you work out the details of repayment terms so that there is no dispute later on about payments.

The biggest advantage of this credit card consolidation method is that you do not have to meet the eligibility criteria to qualify, as is the case with financial firms. The interest rate may also be likely lower.

One major drawback is that it can possibly strain your relationship if you fail to pay back on time.

Home Equity Loan for Credit Card Consolidation

Before going any further into the details, you should know that this is the riskiest method since you can possibly lose your home. Thus, you should think about it only if you have exhausted all options and are certain that you have the means of paying back the loan in time.

You can take out a home equity loan with your home as collateral. That is, your home equity serves as a security for the loan. There are two advantages to this. First, you are putting your home equity to use. Second, since this is a secured loan, the interest rate may be lower than your credit cards, which are unsecured loans. The lower interest rate may be a big boon for debt repayment.

The major disadvantage of this credit card consolidation method is that if you are not responsible enough, then you could end up losing your home. Defaulting on repayments will give your creditor the right to press for a foreclosure on your home to regain the amount that you owe.

Business

Scaling Strategies for Bootstrapped Founders: Why Smart Startup Entrepreneurs are Ditching Traditional Agencies for Leaner Growth Machines

Published

3 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Today’s startups need to scale at top speed. Conventional methods for achieving business growth and revenue early are under fire. That’s why more and more savvy founders are abandoning the traditional marketing agency business model. They realize that the rules of the game have changed.

Leading this shift is Pablo Gerboles Parrilla, founder of Pabs Marketing. He’s a techpreneur and CEO whose unique perspective marries technological insight and marketing expertise.

For today’s founders, Gerboles believes the message is clear: cash flow and profitability don’t depend on VC funding. It’s time to ditch old-school agencies and turn to leaner, more flexible growth machines.

The age of scaling a bootstrapped startup: Why founders choose to scale without external funding or venture capital

“Startups are nothing like the established corporations traditional agencies are built to serve,” Gerboles says. “They need to be nimble and conserve their resources. The last things they need are bloated services with hidden fees and lengthy contracts. They need results, and they needed them yesterday.”

Traditional agencies position themselves as one-stop shops for marketing and growth, offering extensive teams and shiny presentations, but their campaigns come with a hefty price tag. Those structures work well for Fortune 500 companies needing big-budget omnichannel campaigns. For startups? They often translate to high retainers and little flexibility.

“If you’re a startup founder, wasting time and resources on presentations that don’t lead to actionable growth isn’t an option,” Gerboles explains. “You have to be data-driven and relentless in finding what works. Traditional agencies are just too slow and cumbersome to deliver.”

Successful bootstrapping can lead to sustainable growth: Lean growth machines for lean operations

Gerboles spent the last six years helping founders to scale their businesses quickly and sustainably. His background in technology and marketing enables these founders to break free from outdated agency models in favor of smarter alternatives. He combines lean growth machines built on systems and sophisticated AI-powered tools with the power of micro-agencies and niche contractors.

“Agility is everything,” Gerboles shares. “The best founders today aren’t looking for creativity for its own sake. They want to see scalable solutions.”

The foundation of Gerboles’s philosophy lies in automating human-driven processes through software. Whether automating lead generation and funnel tracking, optimizing campaigns for performance with AI, or streamlining day-to-day operational tasks, smart automation reduces costs and enables companies to scale faster.

Take marketing strategy, for example. Instead of handing over control to a traditional large-scale agency, modern founders can engage niche micro-agencies with expertise in specific domains like paid media, SEO, or influencer campaigns. These smaller, hyper-focused teams are far more nimble, deliver measurable ROI, and cost a fraction of the price.

“When you combine these micro-agencies with contractors and automation, you’ve bypassed a lot of unnecessary overhead,” Gerboles explains.

The importance of accountability, transparency, and results in scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders

For Gerboles, one major shortfall of traditional agencies is the lack of true accountability. “You don’t want vague creative promises or KPIs that could mean anything,” he says. “You want sharp goals and clear deliverables. Most of all, you want systems that let you track performance in real time. Nothing builds trust and drives results faster than data-driven accountability.”

The shift away from agencies is primarily driven by concerns over transparency and reliability. By leveraging smaller, specialized teams or AI-powered tools, startups can maintain a tighter grasp on their marketing and growth. When they find what works, they can iterate quickly based on live campaign data.

“Smart founders don’t have time to wait weeks for an update,” Gerboles quips. “When you build lean growth machines, you’re always connected to your performance metrics. You can pivot instantly. This model rewards consistency and strategic risk-taking.”

When Gerboles designs systems for startups, he emphasizes performance certainty. He eliminates guesswork and sticks to systems that work. It’s a philosophy that resonates with modern entrepreneurs who value clarity and efficiency above all else.

Scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders who don’t consider external funding: a blend of technology and micro-agencies

The evolution Gerboles champions is already well underway. The rise of AI, no-code platforms, and automation tools means startups can do more with less — and faster — than ever. Solutions like automated campaign optimization, predictive analytics, and content creation tools enable startups to scale their output without hiring a large team or committing to an agency’s payroll.

Meanwhile, on-demand contractors and micro-agencies provide laser-focused expertise on an as-needed basis. Whether it’s bringing in a TikTok ads expert for a short-term boost, hiring a conversion copywriter for a product launch, or testing AI-powered chatbots for lead management, lean growth machines are redefining the agility game.

“An expert contractor or a micro-agency specializing in your exact need will always be faster and better than the ‘generalist’ vibes you get from old-school agencies,” Gerboles notes. “Specialization and precision are the name of the game now.”

Founders who want to lead in the new era of business are increasingly following the path Pablo Gerboles lays out. They are choosing smarter systems, investing in the right tech stack, prioritizing accountability, and embracing speed at every level.

“Business isn’t a time to play safe,” Pablo says. “It’s about innovation and pushing edges within a clear strategy. Surround yourself with agile partners, hold processes to results, and find the tools that help you stay lean. That’s how you win in today’s game.”

Gerboles is a thoughtful entrepreneur committed to helping business leaders reinvent their approach to growth. From ideation to execution, his advice rings true: leave the bloated bureaucracy of yesterday’s agencies behind and build lean growth machines fueled by agility and results.