Credit card consolidation has been catching on as a popular and smart way for consumers to reduce their debt levels. The way that credit card consolidation works is like this: you obtain a new credit card with a nice size credit line and then transfer many of your outstanding loan balances over to the new card. Instead of paying 17.9%, 21.6%, or even 24% or more on credit card balances, a new low interest rate credit card can allow you to reduce your monthly payments and pay down your debt faster. Please keep reading for examples on how you can take charge of your debt.
Out with the old, in with the new
Much of the debt owed by consumers is through credit cards. If you have 1, 2, 3, or more cards, you probably are paying high interest rates on several of your outstanding balances. Your JC Penney, Macys, even your regular Visa or MasterCard can be charging you interest rates in excess of 20%! You can get out from underneath these burdens by selecting a new card with a low APR and transferring your balances over. In effect, you have created a credit card consolidation with your new card. Just don’t use your old cards again as you might find yourself with more debt than you can possibly manage!
Lower monthly payments, low APR
By transferring your high balances, you can save several hundred dollars per year in interest payments. With some cards, you can even get an introductory APR of 0% for the first twelve months. After that your variable rate is likely to be lower than what you paid for your store cards, bringing home big savings for you. In addition, you will have more money to pay off your existing balances faster. In effect, a credit card consolidation can help you get out of debt quicker. Less debt, better credit rating
By paying off your debt faster, your credit rating will improve. An improved credit rating can have a positive effect on future borrowing, especially if you are considering purchasing a new car or a home. All of this good stuff happens because you made the smart decision to go the credit card consolidation route to attack your debt.
Is everyone eligible for a credit card consolidation card?
Unfortunately, that answer is no. If you have very bad credit you likely will not be eligible. Still, unlike a debt consolidation loan done through your bank’s lending department, there are no application fees to apply for a credit card. So, go ahead and apply and you just may find yourself selected to carry a little piece of plastic that can go a long way toward helping you to achieve credit card consolidation.
Watch the video related to credit card consolidation
When people have credit card debt and bad credit, it is difficult to get low interest rates. Learn about credit card debt and low interest rates from a registered financial consultant (RFC) in this free personal finance video. Expert: Patrick Munro Contact: www.northstarnavigator.com Bio: Patrick Munro is a registered financial consultant (RFC) with outstanding sales volume of progressive financial products and solutions to the senior and boomer marketplace. Filmmaker: Reel Media LLC…
Help answer the question about credit card consolidation
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Click here to consolidate high interest balances with a Balance Transfer Credit Card. Ed Vegliante runs www.Credit-Card-Surplus.com,a directory of credit card offers.
Tags: agencies, cards, Consolidation, credit, debt, HELOC, reporting, scores
I do not believe that using debt consoliation is a good plan. Personally I would not spend even $25 (it's usually 100s) of dollars for this kind of service that could be going towards the actual debt instead. Instead, I would work 3 jobs to pay these off.
The majority of people who do consolidations do not change their behavior, which is the main problem. You could be right back in the same boat.
See the source below for the hows of getting out of debt., This is not easy, and it is not a gimmick. I can testify that it works. Type in the "Baby Steps" in the search field to get started
A loan consolidation and a debt consolidation are the same. A bank loans you enough money to pay off credit cards or loans (like a car loan). They group it all into one single loan through them (hence the word "consolidation"). So they take all your outstanding "debt" and put it in one single loan with a fixed monthly payment.
A credit card consolidation can be one of two things:
First – You take a credit card and "transfer" the balances of all your other credit cards onto it. Then you have only one single credit card bill.
Second – A debt consolidation loan where you get a loan through a bank to pay off credit card debt. Sometimes the bank will want you to cancel the cards too. Not always.
Hope this helps!
Rarely do they help.
The fact is, you owe more money than you feel like you can pay. You have to change the very behavior that is causing it. The consolidation companies figure out what you owe, add one new (additional loan) to the mix (they loan you the money to pay the others off) and then they charge you more interest. They then go to the credit card companies and negotiate on your behalf for a lower rate, or better terms.
You end up just owing MORE people MORE money.
Does that sound like a way out of debt?
Not to anyone else either.
You have to change your life to change this behavior.
Start at the website below–but the real problem is that you are living beyond your means.
You need to increase your income (a second job, more hours, sell handicrafts); decrease expenses (spend less, move into a cheaper house/apartment); or sell assets (sell the car, and walk to work, hold a garage sale.)
Yeah, I know it hurts. But you haven't been in charge of your money–you've let it get in control of you.
Don't spend the rest of your life fighting against creditors. Take control now.
The website will help you to make some tough decisions, and give you some great advice–but it is HARD WORK.
There are no good credit consolidation companies, because none of them change your attitude towards your money. You must.
The short answer is yes it will drop your credit score.
The better bet is to arrange to move all of your credit card debt to one low interest card. Then CUT up everything else, including the new card. Make no new charges and pay down as much of the credit card debt each month that you can afford. Going forward pay with everything with cash until you are out of debt, and stick to a budget. Then you can use your credit card, only when you can pay the balance off at the end of each month if you want to use a rewards program, or in the event of an emergency. Beyond that you need to only owe on your mortgage, and maybe a car payment if necessary.
Many people think that using a consolidation company is one step away from declaring bankruptcy. This is not necessarily true. Not every credit card company or lender of credit thinks this way; it's subjective. A consolidation company, for some people, is the best way to get out of debt.
Please do not consolidate. It is not free, they will lower your payments by increasing the length of time until you are debt free, and you will take a hit on your credit score. Or they negotiate your debt down after telling you not to pay for awhile adding another hit to your credit score. There is a better way.
A. Have a garage sale and sell anything that you no longer need or want.
B.Get a temporary part time job, if you have one, get another.
Here is a plan that can help you. If you work the plan, the plan will work for you:
1. Make a budget. Make the budget a week before you get paid. A budget is not a punishment! It is a tool which will free you from ever having to worry about money again. Put everything in your budget. Especially those annual, biannual, or quarterly bills like car registration, insurance, etc. Give every dollar you are going to bring home the name of where it is going. Add an "emergency fund" category to your budget for 25 dollars and save up until you have 1000-1250 dollars. Your emergency fund will help keep you from getting into new debt because of an emergency. If you can, set up a direct transfer to a savings account for your emergency fund. That way it moves automatically and you don't even have to worry about it. You must cut your spending and live on less than you make.
2.First get current on all of you debts and make no more late payments. Stop using your credit cards immediately. Do not take on any more debt. Credit cards are like quicksand only the death is much slower. Make a list of all of your debts in order of highest interest rate to lowest interest. Use cash only for your spending from now on.
3.Pay the minimum due on all of your debts and then put your extra money towards paying off the highest interest one first. After you get that one paid off, you put the money you were paying on debt #1 (the minimum payment and the extra payment) towards debt #2. That will pay debt #2 off faster. When that is paid off, you put all three payments towards card #3 and that one will be paid off pretty quickly. As an example:
To start :
Debt #1 (highest interest): minimum payment+ extra payment
Debt #2 (middle interest): minimum payment
Debt #3(lowest interest): minimum payment
Debt #1: paid off
Debt #2: minimum payment from Debt #1+ Minimum payment from Debt #2 +extra payment
Debt #3: minimum payment
Debt #1: paid off
Debt #2: paid off
Debt #3:Minimum payment from card #1+ minimum payment from Debt #2+ minimum payment from Debt #3+ extra payment.
That way, you will get them all paid off, on time, and pay the least interest. It will also help towards rebuilding your credit since you will no longer have any late payments. This works no matter how many different debts you may have.
4. After you get all of your debts paid off, add to your emergency fund until you have 6-12 months of income saved up. Put that emergency fund money into a liquid money market fund or into a Bank of America no-risk CD so that if you need the money you can take it out without penalty.
5a. When you have your emergency fund in place, add a category for "fun" to your budget. Save for a holiday, a vacation, a big screen, or dinners out, whatever goal you want. Remember to enjoy your life.
5b. When you have your emergency fund in place, start saving for your retirement. Join the 401(k) plan at work and contribute the maximum. Your employer probably matches at least part of your contribution so why give up free money? Open a Roth IRA and contribute the maximum on a monthly basis. If you start saving for your retirement now, you will probably retire a millionaire.
5c. When you have your emergency fund in place, start saving for your next car. Only buy cars, or other things that depreciate, with cash. Save up for a nicer car. That way you get the interest instead of paying the interest.
You can do it and it isn't as hard as you think. Just follow the plan.
Try http://personal-financial-help.solutionsarticles.com they aren't that bad (7% for me) and definitely quick.
The Idea is to find a loan at less interests than you pay now, and fixed interests.
Credit cards can have high interests so it shouldn't be difficult to beat them, depending on your credit score.
Whoever you go with, you should always check if they belong to the American Bankers Association at http://buyersguide.aba.com or at least the https://www.bbb.org the above people do.
STAY AWAY from any "debt consolidation" company that promises to cut your debt in half through debt settlement….This is a risky tactic of deliberately ceasing all payments to creditors and forcing your accounts into default to attempt settlements. You pay a monthly fee to a debt consolidator….this entire fee goes towards building a settlement account and to the consolidator's fees to “settle” your accounts in the future. Your credit card companies will deliberately not be paid so that all the accounts will default/charge-off so that they can attempt settlements at around 50%. If you are current on your accounts, this process will ruin your credit rating for sure. Debt settlement is like a roll off the dice with your finances…You can never predict how your creditors will respond to the deliberate defaulting of your accounts…they might settle at 50%…or they might serve you a summons, take you to court…and if they win, you could be looking at wage garnishment.
None of these “debt consolidation” firms have the power to force your creditors to accept settlements. Your creditors have the right to refuse these terms and take you to court.
If you have already defaulted on your cards or they're past due, then you can negotiate directly with your creditors. See Suze Orman's advise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS43XFa3KGU
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Plan B is entering a Debt Management Plan (DMP) with a non-profit credit counselor like CCCS (Consumer Credit Counseling Services). Contact your local Red Cross for a referral. They can negotiate lower payments and interest rates. They do not negotiate settlements.
They will require you to stop using all credit and to cut up your cards. Your credit report will be updated to "enrolled in debt management." This does not damage your credit, but it may make it impossible to obtain new credit while you are enrolled in their program….so don't use this service if you anticipate applying for a new apartment, car loan or mortgage anytime soon, as you would probably be denied while you're enrolled in the CCCS debt management program…. Otherwise, it can be a very good way to deal with your debt.
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Plan C is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Keep all options open and do what is best for you.
I would suggest you try to find a local place where you can see someone face-to-face (as opposed to over the phone). A good, reputable non-profit is CCCS or Consumer Credit Counseling Services. They will set up an appointment with you and ask you to bring in a bunch of information: your last few pay stubs, all your bills and statements, a copy of your credit report (if you have one handy, if not, they can pull one), etc.
They will go over everything with you and let you know what they can do to help. They are not able to consolidate all bad debts, so be aware of that up front. They are nationally recognized, so they are able to negotiate pay offs for you as well as lower your interest rates on credit cards and the like. They can even change the terms (like the monthly payment). After they contact all your creditors, they take into account your monthly income and come up with a figure that will not stretch your budget beyond what you can afford. They will ask you to make a monthly payment to them and then they will divy up the money to the proper people.
After a month or two, it will show up on your credit report that certain accounts are "in consolidation". That is not a bad thing per se. Creditors can at least see that you are taking responsibility.
CCCS might also ask that you make a small donation since they are a non-profit. They've been known to waive the fee if you absolutely cannot afford it. One important thing to remember is that you cannot default on your agreement. It looks really bad credit-wise if you do…so just make sure you're ready to embark on the repayment. The length of time really depends on the severity of the debt (which looks fairly bad) and how much your monthly payments are.
I hope that helps and I wish you the best!
