Debt Consolidation for Dummies
12:31 AM
Getting out of debt is something that everyone who is in debt wants to do. Consolidating loans may seem like the best way to go if you owe money to several different creditors but it isn't always the best way to keep your money headed in the right direction with the fastest payoff.
Consolidating Your Loans When you are considering consolidating a loan it may be because the separate monthly payments are too much for you to keep track of, or perhaps adding them all together seems like it would be easier to do - just pay 1 bill, use 1 stamp, and be done with it for the next month. Debt consolidation can be managed this way but there are a couple of pitfalls to look out for before you make the final decision and sign the debt consolidation papers.
Most often asking an existing creditor that you already owe money to for a debt consolidation is not the best use of your money. They may agree to consolidate your loan(s) and may lead you to believe that you're getting a "too good to be true" deal that includes a reduction in your monthly payment. This may be the case but it doesn't come without strings attached. By reducing the amount you are paying monthly you are extending the life of the loan. So what, you say. Well, by doing this you are locked into the interest rate that the new consolidated debt is being paid off at and it is pretty likely that you won't have fulfilled your obligation to the company by the time the old loan would have been paid off. Also keep in mind that you probably aren't going to get the best interest rate by going about it this way.
How to Get Money If you can somehow work out a payment or loan agreement with a friend or family member who is willing to loan you the money to pay off our existing debt this might be a better option than consolidation. Or if you don't have anyone to turn to and want to know more about your options give your bank a call and they can set you up with a credit counselor. This person will be able to evaluate where you stand financially and help to get you on the right track with repaying what you owe. You might as well use the free advice that a professional can provide, and even better, this will be someone with an unbiased opinion who can tell you what your options are and possibly open your eyes to other possibilities out there that are available to you.
Keep a close watch on any company who offers to lower your monthly payment through debt consolidation - it may not be all you think it's cracked up to be and a little bit of research and speaking to the people who are knowledgeable and in the business to help you is the way to go for anyone who has more debt than they want to deal with on a monthly basis.
The Trick The trick to staying out of this situation again after you have arranged things is to learn through someone or perhaps by taking a credit management course in order to recognize the symptoms of an upcoming lapse in judgment which could mean some rough financial times ahead.
Consolidating Your Loans When you are considering consolidating a loan it may be because the separate monthly payments are too much for you to keep track of, or perhaps adding them all together seems like it would be easier to do - just pay 1 bill, use 1 stamp, and be done with it for the next month. Debt consolidation can be managed this way but there are a couple of pitfalls to look out for before you make the final decision and sign the debt consolidation papers.
Most often asking an existing creditor that you already owe money to for a debt consolidation is not the best use of your money. They may agree to consolidate your loan(s) and may lead you to believe that you're getting a "too good to be true" deal that includes a reduction in your monthly payment. This may be the case but it doesn't come without strings attached. By reducing the amount you are paying monthly you are extending the life of the loan. So what, you say. Well, by doing this you are locked into the interest rate that the new consolidated debt is being paid off at and it is pretty likely that you won't have fulfilled your obligation to the company by the time the old loan would have been paid off. Also keep in mind that you probably aren't going to get the best interest rate by going about it this way.
How to Get Money If you can somehow work out a payment or loan agreement with a friend or family member who is willing to loan you the money to pay off our existing debt this might be a better option than consolidation. Or if you don't have anyone to turn to and want to know more about your options give your bank a call and they can set you up with a credit counselor. This person will be able to evaluate where you stand financially and help to get you on the right track with repaying what you owe. You might as well use the free advice that a professional can provide, and even better, this will be someone with an unbiased opinion who can tell you what your options are and possibly open your eyes to other possibilities out there that are available to you.
Keep a close watch on any company who offers to lower your monthly payment through debt consolidation - it may not be all you think it's cracked up to be and a little bit of research and speaking to the people who are knowledgeable and in the business to help you is the way to go for anyone who has more debt than they want to deal with on a monthly basis.
The Trick The trick to staying out of this situation again after you have arranged things is to learn through someone or perhaps by taking a credit management course in order to recognize the symptoms of an upcoming lapse in judgment which could mean some rough financial times ahead.
About the Author:
Denzel Abintenk often edits informative papers on news associated to loan to consolidate debt and consolidate debt with a personal loan. His writings on personal loan to consolidate debt are published on http://www.debtania.com/personalloan.html .
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