subject: Credit Card Consolidation – Tips To Lower Your Credit Card Debt [print this page] Debt consolidation is the process by which you take all your different debts and consolidate it into one large debt. This is applicable to credit card consolidation where you will take the debt from your credit cards, your retail store charge cards, your gasoline cards etc. And make it one. There are a few options available to achieve this.
The interest rate that you get charged on credit cards is normally much higher than most other loans. If you have several credit cards that charge different interest rates, you should move the debt from the higher charging cards to the lowest one. Alternatively, you should do some research on low interest rate credit cards to find the best rate for your purpose.
There are several lenders that are currently offering credit cards at zero percent interest. These are normally special offers and the rate will more than likely be raised after a couple of months. Discuss this with the company as some of them will be prepared to offer you a competitive interest rate if you are thinking of transferring a large amount to the card.
If you own a home and are able to get a home equity loan, you could use this. If you have a home loan, you could re-mortgage your home in order to increase the home loan. In this instance, you will be able to settle all your credit card debt with the amount from the home loan. As home loans normally carry a lower interest rate, you will be able to save on the total interest charges.
Another option would be to apply for a personal loan. If you have a good credit score, you should not experience any difficulty in acquiring one. However, if your credit rating is bad, you will not be eligible and will be offered a loan at a high interest rate. In view of your aims, this situation will be unsuitable.
The banks are not the only institutions that offer personal loans. There are many other companies and private lenders who offer reduced rate loans. It is advisable to do thorough research to ensure that you are getting the best possible rate. Once the consolidation has been completed, your regular repayments will normally be less than they used to be. This is due to the fact that you will be paying a lower rate. By paying this saved amount into the loan, you will be able to pay off the loan sooner as well as save on interest charges.
Many people view their credit cards as a positive bank account. This is not so as you are using someone else's money, not your own. If you view your credit card as a loan account, it might be easier to curb your spending on it. This will ensure that you do not get yourself into a situation where you require an additional loan to settle the outstanding amounts on your credit cards.
Credit Card Consolidation Tips To Lower Your Credit Card Debt