Debt Consolidation Tips: An "All in one" Guide!
A Debt consolidation loan is a loan used to repay several other
loans or other debts. A Debt Consolidation Loan is a low cost
loan secured on collateral in the form of any securable
property, your home, your vehicle or any valuable asset. Debt
consolidation loans consolidate all debts incurred through
personal loans, credit cards, overdrafts, or any number of
unpaid bills that have built up over time. These loans can give
you a fresh start, allowing you to consolidate all of your loans
into one - giving you one easy to manage payment, and in most
cases, at a lower rate of interest. A debt consolidation loan
can reduce both your interest costs and your monthly repayments,
putting you back in control of your life.
Debt consolidation solutions are practical means for eliminating
credit card and other high interest debts, and getting your
financial health and future back on track. Being concerned about
debt 24 x 7 is extremely stressful, both on you and your family.
So take a few minutes right now and educate yourself about your
options.
1. Go with a debt consolidation company that has a good
reputation. Don't assume that every non-profit company is
necessarily going to look out for your interests more than for a
profit. Shopping around will give you the means to decide on the
one that best suits your circumstances and your budget. Spend
time researching different lenders and get quotes from a handful
before deciding on one.
2. Do the math yourself. Take the time to work through the
expenses yourself and see how much you will be paying, how long
it will take to pay off the loan, etc. Look for hidden costs,
creditor charges, etc. Many lenders add payment protection
insurance to their loans without the borrowers' knowledge, which
is often more expensive than those available elsewhere. People
keen to consolidate their debts, take the first opportunity
available, unaware of lower rates and other available options.
3. Is it cost effective in the long run? Paying off an existing
debt may incur charges for early settlement and there may also
be a fee for arranging your consolidation loan. A debt
consolidation loan should be cheaper than the individual loans
and debts since that's its purpose. Otherwise how is it
different from any other secured loan? Also, by taking a new
debt consolidation loan, you will be extending the period in
which you are paying off debts - and that might mean a greater
interest cost in the long run. So read the fine print on your
credit agreement statement before signing it.
5. Interest rates: Make sure you understand the difference
between variable and fixed rate loans. If you sign up for a
variable rate loan, you may get a lower rate initially, but
within a few years it may go up. On the contrary, a fixed rate
option does not fluctuate with any changes in rates. However,
you do not gain when the interest drops either.
6. Debt Consolidation counselling: Debt consolidation with debt
counselling can provide you with expert debt advice for
financial planning. This would help you sort out your present
debts as well as prevent you from getting into future debt. Debt
counselling services can talk to your creditors about reducing
your interest rate, eliminating late fees, altering repayment
options and extending your loan term. Look up an agency that is
the member of the National Foundation for Credit Counselling
(NFCC) or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit
Counselling Agencies (AICCCA).
Secured on your collateral low interest debt consolidation loans
can sweep away the pile of repayments to your credit and store
cards, loans and replace them with one, low cost, monthly
payment - one calculated to be well within your means. Never
take a loan that is over the top, take something that suits your
needs.
It has been found that a significant number of residents are not
aware of the benefits of the debt consolidation options and are
suspicious about how it works. There is a need to increase the
awareness of the debt consolidation solutions and evolve new
varieties and features for debt consolidation loans. There is a
great potential to increase the benefits of debt consolidation
loans.