DENVER -- The offers are everywhere, it seems: "Eliminate $10,000 in debt." "Pay off your mortgage early."

'Pay to Learn' plans certainly aren't new but they may have plenty of potential buyers this year with unemployment at ten percent nationally and just under seven percent in Colorado.

"It says you can probably, realize these savings," said Dale Mingilton, President of the Denver-Boulder Better Business Bureau. "I'm very cautious and a little scared that people would invest their money."

Mingilton took a look Tuesday at one of the more prominent systems, "Transforming Debt Into Wealth."

"Basically they were saying if you can apply an extra $50 a month to your credit card bill you can pay it off faster. Yeah, that's pretty common sense," Mingilton said.

Rather than paying $7 or $40 for a CD and booklet, Mingilton says you're better off investing some time into slowly evaluating every monthly bill to see if it could be reduced or eliminated.

Mingilton said, while much of the advice is helpful, the price paid can come with surprises.

"Well the free CD turns into you have to pay shipping and handling and then you're billed for other products automatically," Mingilton said.

Mortgage foreclosure rescue and debt assistance offers ranked No. 6 on the BBB's Top 10 Scams & Rip Offs for 2009.

"Debt To Wealth" is based in Chicago where their BBB has five current complaints by Coloradans who felt they didn't get what they paid for.

"I don't think you need a middleperson because a lot of it's very common sense," Mingilton said. "Stop spending. And that sounds kind of silly but people continue on that path and they can't stop themselves."

Instead, Mingilton said work with your mortgage lender up front to see if you can work out some sort of arrangement.

The Federal Trade Commission suggests meeting with a certified credit counselor in-person, before buying any 'Pay To Learn' plan.