Have you been spending nights up? Do you have a constant feeling in the pit of your stomach? Do you have fear of falling into debt? If you have credit card debt, you may have nightmares of going into the mouth of painful death.
Credit card debt consolidation can be an option to get out of this quagmire. Consolidating means taking out a new loan to repay the existing debt. This seems to be a better option because:
People consider debt consolidation loan because it allows you to pay off the debt in simpler repayments. Since payments are made in fixed installments, there are lower chances of due dates slipping through the cracks.
Consolidation loans can help you avail of lower interest rates depending on your current deal and credit rating.
Ways to consolidate your credit card debt
The following are the key factors you need to consider before applying for a consolidation debt.
First, you need to find out the amount of credit card debt, the balance in each credit card, interest rates, the repayment term, the monthly payment, and above all your eligibility criteria.
Note that online eligibility checkers can help you know the chances of your application being accepted and the type of credit card that suits your needs. Make sure that the deal you choose suits your budget.
A balance transfer credit card is one of the most common methods of consolidating credit cards. It means transferring balances to your new account. Your lender will offer introductory interest rates as low as 0% APR for a certain period.
Remember that you have to pay off the debt within that period. Otherwise, you will end up paying more than the current interest rate. The introductory period varies from six months to 18 months.
Caution: Consider your affordability. Make sure that monthly installments will not keep you from meeting regular expenses. Otherwise, you will rack up your debts.
If you are not eligible for a debt consolidation loan, you can take out personal loans. Consolidating your credit card debt with a personal loan can offer you various benefits, for instance:
Some direct lenders like Easy Cheap Loans provide consolidation facility to bad credit borrowers too.
Debt management companies help people struggling with debt payments by creating a repayment plan. They will review your financial condition and then guide you about spending, budgeting, and other financial concerns.
One of the significant roles of such companies is to negotiate interest rates with lenders on your behalf and request waiving fees. You will make the payment to a debt management company that will further pay back money to lenders after deducting fees.
Other things to consider
Even though consolidation can help you further sinking into debt, it does not mean that it is a permanent solution to your debt problems.
You need to find out the root cause of your debt. If you do not have a repayment strategy to pay off your credit card bills, you will end up with more debt. Try to cut back on discretionary expenses and get a side gig to avoid falling into debt.
Consolidating your credit card can be an effective way to get your finances in control, but you need to be careful with your affordability. Sometimes consolidation schemes seem very attractive, but once you sign it, it eventually turns out as a swindle. Make sure that you talk to a reliable lender. Compare interest rates and the repayment length before grabbing any deal.
Jennifer Powell embraced finance writing just the moment she started working as a finance executive with EasyCheapLoan, which is a direct lender in the industry. Jennifer has an exceptionally keen eye for details and used her skills to pen down numerous blogs and articles on finance. When asked, she simply replies with a look on her face that shows how genuinely she cares for people struggling with financial problems. Jennifer works dedicatedly as a finance professional and considers sharing both her experiences and knowledge to increase the financial literacy of people and businesses.
