Friday, August 8, 2008

Five Ways to Find Debt Consolidation Help

Are you unable to pay your arrears on time? Are you trying to find debt consolidation help? Do you find it difficult to keep track of your multiple liabilities? If so, then this may be the solution to your problems.

The Concept

Debt consolidation refers to the replacement of multiple liabilities, each with a different rate of interest, with one debt that is availed at a lower interest rate. Usually, you would approach a financial institution to consolidate the debt. They would take over the liabilities either by charging a monthly fee for their services or by offering you a secured or unsecured loan. They would then analyze your financial position and arrive at the amount of money that you can afford to pay as installment. They would negotiate with your creditors to reduce the payment due. Normally, they can get the late fees and penalties waived.

Sources To Find Debt Help

  1. Local Financial Institutions: The local banks and finance agencies that already have a relationship with you are likely to provide you with a good arrangement.
  2. Other Private Financial Institutions: These institutions will be eager to get business from you and so will try to give you a fair deal.
  3. Government Organizations: There are many government organizations that would help to consolidate your debt. They are trustworthy and may even give free debt consolidation help.
  4. Mailers: Companies sending mailers would be keen to offer their services to you. So you could get into a good agreement with them.
  5. On The Internet: This is a popular method to get help services both in general and bad credit debt help in particular. You could use a search engine like Google, Yahoo or Live and search using terms such as "debt consolidation" or "debt management". In each case, you will get hundreds of hits, so you would need to bring down the selection to a few companies.

Certain precautions should be taken irrespective of which method you use to find debt consolidation help. They are mentioned below:

  • Get quotes from a few institutions so as to make sure that you get the best deal.

  • Once you decide upon the finance agency with which you will consolidate your debt, investigate to confirm that it is a legitimate organization.

  • Check with Better Business Bureau whether any complaints have been registered against the organization.

  • If you are availing the services of debt consolidation for free, make sure that it is really for free. There should not be any ambiguous terms in the contract. If the organization is taking a fee or interest, make sure that these points are stated clearly.
  • Top Debt Reduction Tips in These Unstable Economic Times

    These are certainly unsound economic times. Every time you open the paper, there seem to be articles about foreclosures, increasing debt and people losing their houses. Are you doing it tough? Are you struggling to make ends meet? Do you live from paycheck to paycheck? If any of the above sounds like you, then it need not be the end of the world. There are some things you can do to reduce your debt and move towards a more sound economic future.

    • Consolidate Your Loans- Many people in financial trouble have a variety of loans with different interest rates. One of the first things you should do is try to consolidate all of your loans in to a single low interest loan. Once you have this loan, you know exactly what your payments will be each month. Once you've consolidated your loans, you need to cut up your credit cards and ensure that you do not get any further in to debt.
    • Stop Spending- Seriously, if you want to get out of debt, you need to stop spending money, I am not talking about the essentials, but you need to stop spending money on things you don't really need. Instead of eating out, go to the supermarket. Instead of buying a coffee, make one at the office. Every little bit adds up.
    • Set A Budget- If you truly want to get out of debt, you need a plan. This is where your budget comes in. You need to look at your income and take in to account every bill you have to pay. Once you've set your budget, you can work out how long it will take to pay your debts. Have it written down and carry a copy with you everywhere. This way, you can refer back to it to keep you on track to stop you from making rash purchases.

    Debt reduction is important for many people with the current unstable economy. In this article, we have looked at three major tips to help you in your quest.

    What Are Debt Consolidation Loans and When Should You Apply For Them ?

    A lot of people are neck-deep in debt nowadays but only a few would actually admit that they are to be blamed for their struggling financial life. There could be a grain of truth on this denial as there are clearly some loan sharks on the financial market who trap people with their debts. But other than this reason, a large chunk of the blame pie should be thrown at the borrower's face. Failing to pay on time, the misuse of credit cards, and mismanaging balances could all lead into financial distress.

    How Debt Consolidation Can Help

    Fortunately, there are financial programs that were set up to help the helpless. Debt consolidation loan is not similar to the loans that most people apply for as this is not one that would bind you further into debt oblivion. In fact, debt consolidation loan is meant to take you out of your numerous debts and to make you gain financial freedom once more.

    Debt consolidation loan simply means that all your debts (even bad debts) can be placed under the umbrella of a single loan. Instead of paying several debtors, you now benefit by paying just the debt consolidation program lender and they would be the ones to take care of your existing debts with your previous other lenders.

    These experts are the ones that would negotiate with your lenders on your behalf. Majority of creditors do comply with these negotiations and they even go the extra mile by making the repayment terms lighter. Also, the interest rates for this type of loan are pretty reasonable. Often, though, there is required collateral on this loan and since there is collateral involved, it is best to scout around for the best type of program before settling for the best one.

    When and Where to Consolidate Your Debts

    When you are seriously contemplating of declaring bankruptcy or when you are already bombarded with debts, then this is the best time to consolidate all these amounts that you owe. Also, when your numerous debts are already affecting your credit score, debt consolidation would also be a good way to up your rating.

    Here are some of the debt consolidation firms that would be willing to help you:

    • Academic Financial Solutions
    • AmerAssist
    • American Debt Co. LLC
    • Consumer Alliance Processing Corp.
    • CCFC of America
    • Credifix Inc.
    • Discount Debt Solutions
    • Freedom Debt Management
    • Take Charge America, to name a few.

    Benefits of Debt Consolidation

    Most creditors are not happy to encounter people who have been bankrupt in the past. However, the scenario is completely different with people who have sought to consolidate their debts instead. Also, debt consolidation often comes with debt counseling which is the perfect guide to future financial choices.

    At every phase of your debt consolidation program, you have the aid of financial advisers who would readily give advice and techniques on staying afloat even while neck-deep in debt. After all, the primary aim of a debt consolidation loan is to avoid future debt entanglements. So be one of the wise people and learn to manage your debts while you still can.

    How Can I Settle My Debts?

    If you have a large amount of debt you may have begun to feel overwhelmed and to wonder how can I settle my debts. While bankruptcy may be one option you've considered, there is another alternative: debt consolidation Before you decide if debt consolidation is right you, it's important to learn a little more about the process.

    What is Debt Consolidation?

    Debt consolidation involves taking out a new loan and using those borrowed loans to pay off your existing debt For example, you may use the loan to pay off credit cards, a car loan, and other outstanding bills.

    While it may seem counter-intuitive to take on more debt in order to get your existing debt under control, this is actually a smart move because it will allow you to save money on payments and on interest. For example, take a look at the interest rates you're paying on all of those credit card balances. There's a good chance you are paying more than 20% but a debt consolidation loan would probably have a lower rate. Plus, your monthly payment for the loan is likely to be significantly less than the combination of all those individual bill payments.

    A Few Debt Consolidation Issues

    Before you jump into debt consolidation there are some issues you'll want to consider. For one, you need to be sure that the interest rate on the debt consolidation loan is going to be lower than the rates on your outstanding debt You do not wan to end up paying more in the long run for your debt.

    Another issue is whether or not you will qualify for a debt consolidation loan that will be sufficient to cover your debt If you end up paying only a portion of your debt you could end up in a worse situation by taking on this extra bill even if you've managed to pay off some smaller debt.

    Also, make sure that you do not use debt consolidate as a way to quickly pay off some credit cards just to run up balances again. That won't be useful in the long run either.

    Getting Started with a Debt Consolidate Loan

    You first step is to find a lender. Make sure you work with a trustworthy lender - you'll find a number of smaller mortgage companies that will charge enormous interest rates and that's something you want to avoid. Once you find a lender you trust, you can work together to complete the loan and to consolidate your outstanding bills.

    Make sure you have a good idea of how much of a loan you will need before you go in to discuss the loan. You may even want to bring in the current totals on your outstanding debts. Remember that you cannot use a debt consolidation loan to combine tax money or student loans. Any other type of outstanding debt can be combined.

    Before you finalize the paperwork, be sure you can afford the new monthly payment, too. Otherwise, you may find yourself back in a bad situation.

    Unsecured Debt Consolidation For Bad Credit

    If you are suffering from various bad credit loans and struggling to keep up, then consider debt consolidation. You can apply for debt consolidation for bad credit to bring together all your loans and have them under one clean new roof. Debt consolidation for bad credit holders is becoming increasingly competitive in today's market and we would advise you to shop around online and compare the different quotes. You may find it harder obtaining debt consolidation unsecured, but if you own your own home you will be able to obtain a secured loan. Just fill in an online application form on a quote comparison site to find out more about what low rates you can get.

    Consolidation can improve your bad credit history by consolidating all your debts into one affordable low monthly payment. This will improve your credit rating and leave you with some spare cash each month. With today's highly competitive market you can expect to receive highly competitive rates for your monthly payment. Not only this, more and more companies are taking on customers who need debt consolidation for bad credit and offering lower rates and better deals.

    You do need to qualify to obtain such a loan but it has never been easier than right now. More and more people are using debt consolidation companies to get back on the right track and start enjoying life, not worrying about the next bill coming in.

    Debt consolidation can help you to gain financial stability, peace of mind, freedom and reduce your monthly outgoings. Although typically this kind of recourse is for homeowners, you can now apply for debt consolidation unsecured. With this type of loan you not only get all these benefits of consolidation, you also get it 'risk free' and you don't have to be a home owner to get this loan.

    Regardless of what type of debt consolidation for bad credit you go for, speak to an advisor today about how a consolidation company can help you and your family. You can do this by phone or in person or even online. You can fill out an online application form then sit back and wait for them to get in touch with you instead.