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Informative Articles

Bad Credit Debt Consolidation Loans - Getting A Debt Consolidation Loan, Even With Poor Credit
An online debt consolidation loan allows even people with a poor credit to reduce their overall monthly payments and regain their financial footing. While there are personal loans that allow you to do this, tapping into your home's equity is a...

Consider A Program To Consolidate Your Debt
In the present climate of easy credit it is easy to get in over your head with credit card debt. Many people do not realize how many Americans are living payday to payday getting deeper and deeper into the drowning pool of high interest revolving...

Consolidating Your Credit Card Debt
Copyright 2005 MHG Consulting Credit cards have revolutionized the purchasing experience since Diners Club released the first credit card in the year 1950. The Dinners Club credit card gave consumers limited credit that, at times, even surpassed...

Debt Consolidation Company and Companies
Debt consolidation companies have dotted the debt solution landscape as a result of the critical financial conditions consumers find themselves in from heavy credit card debt and other unsecured loans. With approximately 80% of Americans in debt...

Debt consolidation – Consolidate Your Student Loans Now!
The Federal student loan program has benefited thousands of college students in the forty years since it was introduced. Interest rates for the program have historically been quite competitive, and the program has allowed many people to acquire a...

Debt Help Online - How To Rebuild Your Credit By Consolidating Debt
By consolidating your debt you can rebuild your credit by making on time payments, paying off your debts, and increasing your cash reserves. Depending on your debt load, you can improve your credit situation within two years, enabling to qualify...

How To Determine Apples From Oranges: Debt Consolidation Programs And What Works Best For You
Life is a b*tch but we all know that so might as well stop whining. Or so they say. So you have financial problems. Well, you’re not alone there. Everyone’s got one. Except for Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie, may be. But since we can’t trade...

Types Of Services Debt Consolidation Companies Offers
Bills: the word does really strike a chord in one’s heart, doesn’t it? It may remind you of pesky calls from creditors, notices of disconnection and politely worded warnings of legal procedures…and though you may dearly want to pay them all off, the...

Unemployed debt consolidation: dissolving twin burden of unemployment and debt
Okay, did you wish on the fairy godmother to take away debts? You are doubtful if it will work- especially when you are unemployed. You are certainly not happy with the current circumstances. You want to work, have the ability to pay your own...

What is Debt Consolidation?
Here is a useful guide to what is Debt consolidation. For some people with credit problems debt consolidation may be an answer. Debt consolidation is borrowing enough money from one lender to pay off all your debts. When you consolidate: You make...

 
 
 
Debt elimination & debt consolidation can work together

Debt elimination has always been my goal. But on this day, when I received the bill for the sudden replacement of the clutch in my car, the VISA bill and word that my daughter needed orthodontics for her teeth, how was I ever going to realize my debt elimination goals?

Does that sound familiar? It's totally frustrating. It's very easy to log your spending and identify high interest credit cards to pay off, but what happens when there is still more month left when the money runs out?

In the case of our family, debt elimination was only possible when debt consolidation was achieved by drawing on home equity and refinancing the mortgage.

If we had not gone this route, trying to stay on top of huge debt payments is a slippery slope that can very quickly become serious financial stress.

Consider the fact that Americans are declaring bankruptcy at record rates. One in every 100 families is affected by a bankruptcy.

I was on this slope 10 years ago. One of the most insightful moments of the process was preparing a written log for the trustee of all of our spending for the 5 years leading up to bankruptcy.

Skip ahead many years later and I am again juggling too many payments and not enough money.

The problem is simple. Raising a family, repairing the house, feeding everyone, takes a lot of surplus money. Even when budgeted for. Sound familiar?

Our advisor mapped out a debt elimination plan that included debt consolidation by refinancing our home mortgage.

The numbers were amazing. With record low interest rates, we rolled in $40,000 of consumer debt into our mortgage. Our mortgage payment stayed virtually the same, and we reduced monthly cash flow going out the door to cover debt payments by $900 per month.

I couldn't believe it. Was that possible? It was and it allowed us to work on our debt elimination over a longer, more manageable length of time.

There are pros and cons of course. The big advantage here is that you are able to avoid bankruptcy. The danger is that with the pressure

 


off, you will return to building up debt on your credit cards etc.

Some points to consider:

1. You reduce the number of physical payments you make per month from many to one (that's good)

2. You might be able to get a reduced interest rate by using your house as the collateral (reduced rate: that's good, but house as collateral: hmmm)

3. Typically your total monthly outlay will be lower (that's good)

4. You only have to deal with a single creditor (that's good)

5. You might get some tax breaks out of the deal (that's good)

6. Your credit cards are cleaned, meaning that your free to spend (not so good)

7. It'll take longer to pay off your debt (not so good)

8. You'll likely paying out more over the life of the loan; even though you're making a lower payment, you're paying off the loan over a much longer period of time (not good)

9. You can loose everything if you default on this loan, since it's a secured loan (definitely not good)

To ensure this plan doesn't stray off course, some helpful ideas may include closing your credit card accounts once they are paid out.

Building a spending plan and tracking money that is coming in and out is a great way to stay on top of the new cash picture. Computer accounting programs that automatically download transactions is extremely helpful.

In some cases, it is a great idea to get some help. For some people, the problem of overspending is a psychological one.

Spending can become a habit that's as difficult to kick as alcohol, drugs or gambling.

For our family, the key is not to return to our spending ways after debt elimination through debt consolidation takes some of the pressure off. That will be our focus.

About the author:

Debt-eliminationsite.com is a one-stop-shop website for those facing debt issues. Multiple pages of resources, referrals and tools. Expert advice on credit cards, loans and bankruptcy. Financial planning to get out of debt. http://www.debt-eliminationsite.com