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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Bad Debt Consolidation Is Quite Like A Fairytale.

By Graham McKenzie

Somehow, there is someone out there that can take all your debt and put into one easy payment while lowering it at the same time. By doing this, you are supposedly going to save money somehow. Bad debt consolidation loans are not as great as you might think.

These advertisements seem to be everywhere you look. Businesses who prey on those who are overwhelmed with debt.

They tell you that debt relief is a simply click away, or cut your payments or interest rates in half.

No one wants to be in debt and these companies know that. So, they offer to help you get out of debt which is very tempting but there are several facts that you need to know before you take this route.

There are three bad consolidation moves that you might take

If you want to consolidate your debt, you probably are already behind on loans. You can get a consolidation loan but the interest rate is going to be extremely high. In reality, you have lowered your payments but you are spending more on the interest. So, you end up paying longer which means paying more.

Consolidation companies offer to get your payments and interest lowered and deal with your creditors if you make a small payment upfront.

This could not be farther from the truth. They make your payment to the creditor and the creditor gives them anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of your payment. Think about that. You are paying a fee every month if you think about it.

You can negotiate for lower interest rates and stretching out your payments on your own. Do you really want to pay someone else to do it for you?

To those in this situation, it probably sounds like a good idea, especially considering the scare tactics that these companies like to use. Talk to a couple of companies and see what they tell you. They all offer similar programs. If they tell you that it is going to take 32 years for you to pay off your debt and they can cut that down to 4 and a half years, look for a financial calculator on the internet.

Enter the numbers they gave you. You are going to find that you can pay off your debt faster on your own.

The other downside is that these companies are known for missing payments. Isn't that what you are trying to stop?

The final bad move is the balance transfer. They pull you in by offering low interest rates. The problem is that these interest rates are only for a set amount of time. So, in order to keep a low rate, you have to switch again. All this activity looks bad on your credit.

Get in touch with your card companies if you choose this option. Tell them to put closed at consumers request and close the account.

There are good choices you can make for paying off debt.

You can apply for a home equity loan. They offer low interest rates and the interest is tax deductible.

You can also refinance your home if you have equity built up. Pay off your debt with the money you receive.

Several other option are refinancing your car, getting a personal loan and negotiating for better interest rates. - 23310

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