Archive for March, 2008

Erase High Payments Through Credit Card Debt Elimination

High credit card interest rates and big fees can put you in financial distress very quickly. That’s why you may be searching for a credit card debt elimination program. The opportunity to completely eliminate credit card debt may be difficult to find, because the only way to eliminate debt completely is to pay your credit cards off entirely.

Unfortunately, most people who carry a number of credit card balances from month to month don’t have easy access to a source of funds that would allow them to pay off their credit cards in full. If you’re facing this situation and are still hopeful of locating a method for total credit card debt elimination, you may have to turn to assets that you currently own in order to provide sufficient collateral to secure a loan in order to wipe out your card debt completely.

For most people, the equity in their home may be the best source of collateral to secure a credit card debt elimination loan. In many cases, the interest rate and payback terms are much more favorable to the consumer than those provided by the credit cards they hold. There may also be additional tax benefits available for home loan payments that would not be in place for credit card payments.

You should check with your mortgage company and see if you are eligible for a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit that will allow you to borrow sufficient funds to pay off your high rate credit cards. If you can secure a home loan at a lower interest rate, you could then pay off the credit card balances and save money each month.

If you’re short on equity in your home, don’t forget that you may have a vehicle that could provide sufficient collateral for a credit card debt elimination loan. There are many lenders who are eager to refinance automobile loans, and you may consider such a loan because in many cases you will also be able to secure a vehicle loan at a rate that is lower than many credit card interest rates. If so, using the equity in your car, truck, or boat may help you by allowing you to pay off those high rate cards and pay a lower total payment each month.

No matter what method you choose for credit card debt elimination, one of the keys to success is to avoid charging up big balances on the cards once they’ve been completely paid off. Don’t think that you won’t be tempted. Credit cards provide a convenient method of payment that can get out of control very quickly. If you manage to pay off those high rate card balances, make sure you put those cards away in a safe and secure place and use them only for emergency purposes.

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Filed Under (Personal Finance) by Gracie on 21-03-2008

Help Me I Need To Consolidate My Debt

No matter how well you plan, at times you can find yourself the victim of unfortunate financial circumstances. Whether it be the economy or some other financial hardship, at some point you may look for a way to ease your monthly payment burden. It may lead you to wonder: should I consolidate my debt? And if I decide to consolidate my debt, how can I do so in a way that is safe, affordable, and beneficial to me in the long run? While the financial landscape may appear to be daunting at first, the answers to your debt consolidation questions and concerns can be fairly straightforward.

“When someone comes to me and says ‘I need help to consolidate my debt’ I first ask them to fill out a financial profile that lists all of their monthly payments, the balances they owe, and the interest rates they’re paying on each loan or credit card,” says financial advisor and business writer Carl Walins. “Then when they’ve got all the information laid out on paper, we can begin to prioritize their debt. We look for opportunities to quickly pay off small loans with high interest rates and to consolidate larger loans or cards into a single credit card or loan that offers a lower rate”.

For example, Walins says when you ask yourself “should I consolidate my debt?” you should look at your credit cards immediately, since these traditionally carry the highest annual percentage rates. First determine whether or not you have the opportunity to reduce your APR by combining the balances of several higher-rate cards onto a single, lower-rate card. If you have three credit cards with a balance of %1,000 and rates of 17.5 percent, 18 percent and 20 percent, you might consider transferring those balances to a single card that has an interest rate of 14 percent. Clearly you will save a significant amount of money in annual interest payments by moving to the lower-rate card — provided that the 14 percent rate isn’t a short-term “teaser” that will expire and shoot up to a much higher rate before you pay off the balances.

Walins also advises that you may consider a debt consolidation loan in order to pay off higher-interest debt. He says that lenders may offer you a much lower rate based on your credit history, and if so you may consider taking one loan to pay off several other outstanding amounts that bear a higher interest rate. Using the credit card examples, you may find that you can get a %3,000 unsecured personal loan at a rate of 11.5%PRCTG%. Securing that loan would allow you to payoff the high-interest credit cards and reduce your monthly payment burden.

But Walins warns about one of of the pitfalls of debt consolidation. “When someone comes to me and says ‘please help me consolidate my debt’ and we are able to pay off those high-interest cards, I tell them to cut up all but one of those cards and to save it for emergency use only. Those credit cards with zero balances can me a temptation that you just don’t want to fall victim to”.

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Dont Be Afraid Of Unsecured Debt Consolidation

It’s a fact that financial problems can sneak up on anyone. No matter how well you plan, at some point you may face the prospect of failing to meet your monthly bills due to unforeseen circumstances. That’s when a debt consolidation loan can be a lifesaver. Such a loan can help you meet your financial obligations and keep your good credit rating safe. For some, a consolidation loan is as easy as accessing the equity in their home or securing a loan with a vehicle that they own outright. For others, however, equity can be lacking and in that case they would have to try and find an unsecured debt consolidation option.

Unsecured debt consolidation loans do have an advantage over secured loans, and that is that none of your significant assets are encumbered by a lien. Unsecured means, of course, that you are taking a loan based solely on your good credit and payment history, using only your signature and agreement to pay as the basis of the agreement. While an unsecured debt consolidation loan does not encumber your assets, it also can carry a higher interest rate since the lender is agreeing to provide you funds without having any tangible assets to protect their monies. In essence, the lender is taking a chance on you and your good history, and in exchange you may find that you’ll pay a higher rate.

Whether you choose a secured or unsecured debt consolidation plan, the key to successful debt consolidation is to carefully plan which obligations you will pay off with your loan proceeds. A good way to ensure that you make a wise decision is to list all of your creditors, along with the total outstanding debt, the monthly payment amount, and the annual percentage interest rate you are paying on each balance. Then, prioritize the loans in order of annual percentage rate. Use this information when you going shopping for a loan, and try to find a consolidation option that will allow you to pay off a number of higher-rate debts with the new, lower-rate funds you’ve been able to acquire.

And one important piece of advice: once you’ve paid off your outstanding obligations and reworked your debts using either a secured or unsecured debt consolidation loan, make sure you think about possibly closing out any paid off open lines of credit, cutting up unnecessary high-rate credit cards (or at least locking them up where they can’t be so easily misused). Discipline is critical to ensure that you don’t end up running up another long list of debts now that you’ve managed to consolidate some of the more costly loans into a lower-priced position that’s easier to pay. Don’t get caught up in the temptation to use those now conveniently low-balance credit lines.

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The Insider Secrets Of Bad Credit Debt Consolidation

What shape is your credit in? Are you floundering and finding it difficult to keep up with even your minimum monthly payments? If your credit score has dropped over the past months due to falling behind on your payments to your creditors, you may be in need of a bad credit debt consolidation plan. In simple terms, you may find that you can relieve some of your monthly payment burden by consolidating several high rate loans or credit cards into a single loan or card at a lower annual rate.

How does it work? Simply stated, you might be able to combine a number of loans or credit cards which carry a high rate into a loan or credit card that is available at a lower annual percentage. This sort of debt consolidation is often done when a consumer receives a credit card promotion offering them a rate that is lower than their existing cards, provided they transfer balances to the new card. This can be a quick and easy way to reduce the annual rate on outstanding balances and lessen the minimum monthly payments as well. However, before you combine all of those credit card balances onto a new card with a lower APR, make sure you read all of the fine print and understand exactly what you can expect to pay on the new, combined balance.

Of course, if your credit score has slipped you may find it difficult to locate a lower interest rate on a credit card. For some with bad credit debt consolidation may seem like a solution to their financial worries, but for them, finding a lender or credit card issuer who will help them lower their interest rates may seem impossible. While in the past only those with the most flawless credit could command the best rates, scanning the lending marketplace today tells us that there are lenders available for just about everyone, and even those who suffer from a very low credit score should be able to find a bad credit debt consolidation loan. Due to problems in the economy, today there are plenty of consumers who have less-than-perfect credit, and many lenders willing to service their needs.

And finally, here’s a little “secret” to bad credit debt consolidation that often goes overlooked: don’t forget the equity you may have in a vehicle. While most people think of equity in a home, if you have a vehicle with low miles and a low payoff balance, you may find that you can get a used auto loan at a rate that is far lower than the rates you’re paying on your credit cards. In some cases, these auto loan rates can be had for even half the interest rate of your highest rate cards. If you’re looking for a bad credit debt consolidation option, a vehicle may help you drive your way to your financial goals.

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Overcome Financial Problems with a Debt Consolidation Program

Stop! Are you facing a mountain of debt and having trouble finding a way out of your financial difficulties? You’re not alone. These days, tough economic conditions are making it more and more difficult for many people to meet their monthly payments for loans and credit cards. If you’re finding it difficult to make your monthly payments, you may benefit from participating in a debt consolidation program. Such programs can help you overcome your debt problems by consolidating multiple monthly payments into a single, more manageable amount. But how does a debt consolidation program actually work?

One of the most straightforward and simplest to understand debt consolidation programs is one that works with each of your creditors directly, representing you, and through their experience and expertise negotiating a lower interest rate and lower payment, sometimes even convincing your lenders to lower the actual total amount you owe. One of the biggest advantages of this sort of program is that you will maintain your existing accounts with your existing creditors and you will not be required to take out a new loan in order to lower your payments. The benefit to the borrower is that when your debts are paid in full, in many cases you will remain in good standing with your lenders.

There are many debt consolidation program agencies in the marketplace, and unless you are in extreme financial distress, you shouldn’t have any difficulty locating an agency that can help you get yourself back on the right financial path. You will find that there are both non-profit and for-profit agencies that are available to assist you in reducing your debt load. While some borrowers will feel more comfortable with a non-profit agency, there are many excellent and very reliable and trustworthy for-profit agencies that can provide you a solid debt consolidation program.

Most programs work like this: once the agency has negotiated a reduced interest rate and possibly a lower total balance, new lower payments will be worked out with each creditor. These payments are combined into a single figure and a payment date will be set. Each month you will pay the total amount to your debt consolidation program company, and the company will then distribute the payments to the creditors on your behalf. Whether you choose a non-profit or a for-profit company, you should understand that each will charge a fee for their services. In some cases the consumer pays the fee, in other cases the agency or company collects their fees from the creditors.

If you’re in financial difficulty and are looking for help, a debt consolidation program may be your best bet. By working with your creditors directly, an agency that specializes in helping people lower their monthly payments should be able to help you to get your debts under control.

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