Debt Handling – Debt Consolidation – Pros and Cons

admin — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 18:28:48 +0000

Many people wake up one day and discover that over time they slowly accumulated a pile of debt and it is more debt than they can begin to repay. When this reality hits, very often a spiraling downward trend begins to build. This inability to pay back the owed debt in the end leads to additional late charges, interest charges and penalties, increasing the amount owed and making payment more difficult to repay.

One suggestion often used to break the never-ending debt problem is to use the services of a debt consolidation company. For thousands each year, this step has given them a way out of the debt pit and helped them nurse their way back to a stable financial life. However, there are both pros and cons to consolidating any kind of consumer debt, no matter what shape, method or form it takes. Walking into the financial battlefield armed with knowledge will help make the process and decisions easier when your particular financial circumstances are reviewed.

Before you go any further it is important to know exactly what “debt consolidation” is. In it’s simplest form it entails taking all of your debts from all the sources, taking out a loan, paying off all the balances and then making one single payment on a single loan.

In order for any debt reduction strategy to be successful a few things need to take place. If you pay $125 + $75 + $25 to three different creditors or make one payment of $225 to one creditor you have not really saved anything. Today with the ability to pay bills online you do not even save on postage!

For any debt consolidation system to be worth the effort one or more of the following items needs to occur: (1) The total monthly payment must decrease, or, (2) the overall net amount of the combined interest must decrease, or, (3) the actual total debt must be lowered because of the consolidation. Which, if any, or all of these 3 conditions can take place depending on the type of debt reduction plan selected.

Ideally, although it rarely happens, monthly payments will decrease, interest will be lower and the total debt will be reduced. The usual scenario finds the monthly payment lowered. This does give the debt ridden several advantages. With lower payments the chance of making payments consistently and on time should increase.

This helps prevent stacking more debt with more interest and late charges onto current existing debt. One other noticeable advantage is the peace of mind and reduced stress which occurs without the constant thought of debt always on your mind. It is a relief to know you can meet your monthly obligations of servicing your debt and yet still meet your monthly needs.

After going through the process of consolidating all this debt, keep your guard up! Lower payments can sometimes lead to a relaxed feeling of having extra money to spend. Do not be fooled! Start building an emergency fund! The goal should be to head towards a life of debt free living .

Make sure you read the fine print. One of the cons with many consolidation plans is the extended length of the loan period. The added interest and time added more than covers the entire amount of the original balances prior to consolidating. It may seem unfair but you do owe the money. Take note that some creditors will take less money to settle the debt since they believe their changes of getting paid increases.

One of the best ways to approach tackling debt such as the elimination of credit card debt is to look at it much the same as losing weight. It starts with a commitment to consistently work toward reducing your debt. A plan and working the plan consistently will result in long-term success and a better happier life!

By: Landon McGehee

Finding the Right Debt Consolidation Advice

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:38:00 +0000

If debt is consuming your life and paying the bills each month is like pushing a rock uphill one solution may be a credit counseling service specializing in the consolidation of debt. These type of companies can offer advice to help you in establishing a budget, giving tips and instruction on using credit wisely, show you a plan to track your bills and manage money more efficiently. Face it most of us went through school without any financial education.

These consumer money specialist who are trained along with certified can review your financial condition, if appropriate they can help arrange a plan for repayment to your creditors that will help get back on track financially.

After reviewing several companies and make a selection be prepared to lay it all out on the table. You cannot get healthy financially unless you come clean! You’ll need to provide your financials, everything from income, debts and expenses. This can seem painful as you get a true picture of where you sit in the world of money and debt, but this is a great opportunity to learn about money.

Your credit counselor takes all the information you provide, crunches the numbers, evaluates the information then sits down to discuss your current financial condition. During the discussion you should receive some recommendations along with the most appropriate consolidation advice based on the information provided for your situation.

To help you get a better handle on your financial issues one piece of advice may be to take a class on money, you may not want to wait by checking with your local community college, a financial education will only benefit you long term. Another suggestion may include signing up for a debt-management/ debt repayment plan.

Be prepared, your debt adviser may refer you to another organization, like one specialized in relationship counseling. These debt counselors understand that very often there are other factors hiding below the surface, which lead to financial struggles, and these factors impact other areas of your life.

When selecting a debt consolidation company look for one that can provide you with a list of satisfied clients you can contact, gives personalized service with trained counselors, can help you become educated on how to make better financial decisions and can provide tools to assist you in your efforts to achieve financial security. For example if you are saddled with a pile of credit card debt the simplest solution could be a balance transfer card with 0% interest for 12 months like the Visa balance transfer card.

Do not fall for companies with advertising campaign as the best and only option. In fact, you should probably steer clear of telephone calls or e-mails arriving from nowhere offering their services. The best choice often comes from word of mouth and past clients. Take the time and choose wisely – your financial future is at stake.

By: Landon McGehee

Debt consolidation lead » Suggestion

Debt Handling – Debt Consolidation – Pros and Cons

Finding the Right Debt Consolidation Advice