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Debt Consolidation Benefits and Drawbacks

Posted by | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 05-04-2011

Debt consolidation comes into play right after you realize that you are in an urgent need for money because you are deep in debt and interest rates, and the premiums you pay on your loans are no longer affordable. So in case you feel that your current loans are no longer manageable and can easily result in bankruptcy, it’s high time that you considered borrowing money for consolidating debts. At best, unpaid debts can have a strong impact on your credit history and result in poor credit report; and as a last resort, you can lose your property. However, it makes no difference how appealing debt consolidation loan can be, you should realize that this is nothing else but one more debt and if you obtain it unconsciously, it can lead you to even more serious financial problems such as bankruptcy.

The main idea of debt consolidation loans is to combine all the debts in one manageable loan, one interest rate and APR (annual percentage rate) for one simple reason - paying off this very loan as soon as possible. Basically, such option as consolidation of loans is available to all borrowers irrespective of credit score and status but still you should remember that poor credit leads to much higher rates and more difficulties with applying and getting approved for this type of loans. All loans designed for consolidating debts are broadly divided into two categories: secured and unsecured loans. Secured loans require putting any valuable property against the loan as a collateral. Unsecured loans, in their turn, do not require any security but result in much higher rates and less beneficial conditions. You choice should depend on your needs, your budget and your expectations. In case you hesitate whether to choose secured or unsecured loan, it’s advised not to tempt the fate and consult with a qualified professional on this matter.

Debt consolidation loans, as well as all the rest of loans available in the market today, have their benefits and drawbacks, so you are to be well-aware of them before you take a decisive step and consolidate your debts.

In particular, the benefits are as follows:

1) Lower interest rates and monthly payments. It’s useless to doubt that this benefit is not the major one because this is actually what all debt consolidation process is about.

2) One loan and one lender. You don’t need to negotiate with many lenders every time you need to settle this or that issue regarding one of your loans. Debt consolidation loan means having one arranged loan and dealing with one lender you choose consciously.

3) Credit history improvement. Timely and regular payments will definitely improve your credit score and prove your paying capacity.

As for the drawbacks, you should consider these:

1) Higher overall cost. There are companies which conceal high additional fees you are to pay for the debt consolidation loan with low rates in order to attract the clients.

2) Property loss. If you fail to pay this consolidation loan, you can lose your property for all.

3)  Scams. Since debt consolidation loans are highly demanded, there are quite many scams. Do proper research and consult specialists before you obtain debt consolidation loan and never trust offers which sound too good to be true.

Bad Debt Personal Loans – Even A Bad Credit Has Something Good About It

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 18-01-2011

Debts have many faces. At one time they can serve as an important source to finance your needs and desires while on the other side failure to repay any of the due payments on them can result in getting black listed as a defaulter and gifted a bad debt tag.

Bad debt is considered to be bad by many lenders and most of the time they have to face the refusal and denial regarding the loan application, they are looking for. If you too are tired of hearing “no” from the lenders, a bad debt tag can now get a bad debt personal loan for you that can bring back the relief in your life.

Bad debt personal loans help people with bad debt to access the cash needed with a loan tailored specifically for them. A bad debt can be a result of the defaults, bankruptcy, late payments, county court judgment or individual voluntary agreement made by you in the past.

Before going out to find the bad debt personal loan that matches your needs and expectations to the best, find out how bad is your credit score. When you get your credit report prepared make sure that the credit rating agency, you are applying at, is registered and reliable. To name a few, Experian, Transunion and Equifax are some of the credit rating agencies from where you can get your credit report.

Credit score or FICO score usually range from 300 to 850. A credit score of 720 and above is considered to be good while an individual with a credit score of 580 or below is considered be a victim of bad debt.  Credit score is further classified into a range of grades varying from A to E. “Grade A “reflects excellent credit while people with a credit score of 520 and below are counted in the “Grade E”. People with grade C, D and E are considered in the list of bad debt.

Bad debt personal loan that one can borrow can range from £5,000 to £75,000. You can use the loan money to buy a luxurious car, to make improvements at home, to start a new business or finance the existing one or for any personal purpose. Bad debt personal loan can also be used to consolidate all your existing debts into a single loan. Timely payment of the loan installments on the bad debt personal loan will help you in repairing your credit score.

Lenders usually find it risky to lend money to people with bad debt as the borrowers may repeat the same mistake they had done in the past. Thus, the rate of interest charged on the bad debt personal loans are comparatively high. The rate of interest popularly known as APR (Annual Percentage Rate) on a bad debt personal loan can be as low as 10% and as high as 20% depending on your credit score and the amount of loan that you are looking for.

Online lenders are the best options if you are looking for a fast, secure, low cost and convenient means of borrowing. You just need to fill in an online loan application form with some of your personal details and that’s it. By the time you submit the application form, you will be surprised to get a lot many loan offers from the lenders. The growing competition among the lenders to grab more and more customers has resulted in a decline in the interest rate. You too can take advantage of this cutthroat competition to get the desired loan package. Shop around, collect loan quotes from a number of lenders and then compare them to find the best loan deal.

Bad debt personal loans come in the form of blessing for a curse known as “bad debt”. Use the money you get with the loan in the best possible manner to get out of the debt trap as soon as possible to ensure a smooth and trouble free life. What if you have a bad debt tag you can now access a personal loan too.

Are Personal Loans Right Choices For Bad Credit Debt Borrowers?

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 03-01-2011

Availing personal loans is a good option for fulfilling our personal desires. But persons with bad debt cannot easily avail any personal loans. Due to their bad credit score their loans application forms used to be snubbed by lenders. Now, bad credit debt personal loans are specially tailored for them.

Here, we need to know “What are bad credit debt personal loans?” These loans are a sort of personal loans that are used for a particular condition that is bad debt. Bad debt is the credit rating term, which signifies your credit score is poor. There are many reasons for bad debt, like late payments, skipping payments, exceeding credit card limit, country court judgments, bankruptcy etc.

However, bad credit debt personal loans are specially meant for those, who have bad credit score. If your credit score is below 580, then you can opt for bad credit debt personal loans. So, at first, confirm your credit score. Get a copy of your credit report from any of the three credit reporting agencies – Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax. Study the credit report and then apply for a bad credit secured personal loan.

Bad credit debt personal loans are offered in two forms- secured and unsecured. Collateral is required for availing a secured loans, whereas unsecured loans are available without collateral. With bad credit debt personal loans, you can borrow money ranging from £5,000 to £75,000. You might be required to make a down payment that can be ranged anywhere between 10-20%.

It is illogical saying that you can get low interest rates for bad debt personal loans. Generally lenders charge a high rate of interest to cover the risk of lending money to such borrowers. But there are some ways for getting relatively low rate of interest. If you opt for secured bad credit debts personal loans and use valuable collateral then lender may think of lower interest rate as his loaned money is more secured. Secondly, if you are aware of your credit score, then you will be better informed about the interest rate that you are getting on your credit score.

Besides, a bit research is also necessitated to get a pocket-soothing bad credit debt personal loan. Don’t stick to a single lender, but keep your eyes on other lenders as well. Your search process can be executed over the internet. This process is easier to find a pocket friendly deal within a minimum time. Even, you may get online bad credit debt personal loans with a comparatively low interest rate.
Bad credit debt personal loans are used for a variety of purposes like buying a car, going for a holiday, debt consolidation etc. These loans are boon for those borrowers, who have faced roadblocks in form of bad credit.

Getting Out Of Debt

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 05-10-2010

Getting Out of Debt, The Smart Credit-Card Plan, the perfect paydown strategy

Behavioral economist Meir Statman, recently said “getting out of debt is the financial equivalent of trying to quit smoking.” Just like any bad habit, good intentions alone will not be enough. To ensure success, we need to break our underlying patterns of behavior. How is it we live in the richest most powerful country in the world, but the average American is more than £11,000 in debt. Our European friends who live by a mainly debit card system have an average savings of £13,000. On a recent visit to Germany, I was shocked to find that less than 35% of all the shops and restaurants accepted credit cards. What would we need to do to reverse this trend and get into a (plus) situation.

Plastic Surgery
If we are serious about paying off our balances. We don’t have to literally cut up our credit cards, just stop using them routinely. We should go green for our everyday spending. Try carrying around a set amount of cash to use each week. We make better purchasing decisions when we actually have to hand over the green stuff plus there’s a preset spending limit. When we run out of money, we stop spending it’s that simple. When the only way to purchase is plastic, buying online for instance, then use your debit card. Your debit card can also be used as an emergency substitute for cash should you run out.

Leave Those Cards At Home
The best way to ensure that you enforce the cooling off period on new credit purchases is by taking the cards out of your wallet. You should store them in a place that’s not easily accessible and safe. Do not let others know where you have hidden them.

Close The Accounts No Longer Needed
Having unused credit available from lenders with whom you’ve had a long relationship will help boost your credit score. Having too many will harm your credit score. As a rule, 3 credit cards is what works best and try to never spend more than 50% of the available credit on any of the cards. This will keep your score at it’s highest. You should also consider closing all your store cards, if you need to make a purchase then use your credit card and pay it off at the end of the month.

Lowering Your Interest Rates
Start by reducing what you pay in interest. We can start by calling our current credit card companies and explaining that we intend to transfer our balance to another issuer unless our interest rate is lowered. Almost all credit card companies run promotional programs with low or 0% interest. They will be willing to put you on one of those rather than risk losing your business. All you need to do is ASK.

Tackling Those Credit Card Balances
Finally we need to develop a strategy for paying off our existing credit card balances.

Gather all your credit card statements together and make a simple table listing the entire amount you owe, and the minimum payment and interest rate for each card. This will help us determine the order in which we should pay off our cards. We need to focus on the highest interest rate cards first and pay off as much as you can each month while making only the minimum payments on our other cards. When the first card is paid off, use the same strategy on the next-highest interest rate card and so on until you’re debt-free.

Late Payments
Are the number one cardinal sin of debt management. You get hit with hefty late fees and very high penalty rates that can go to 30%, plus of course your credit score will take a big hit.

We all have a responsibility to improve our financial literacy and develop the required skills and practices for effective financial management. There is a real need to get away from the “Someday things will get better in my life” or the “Someday I will be able to earn enough money to stop worrying about the bills. There is a lot more to life than that, but it has to be said and understood that the only person that can change your life is YOU. There is NO substitute for Action! With Action, you will overcome your fears and hesitations and accomplish everything you set out to do and more.

Have an opinion or a question you would like me to answer, then write me! http:www.CarlHampton.com

Credit Card Applications – Getting Approved After Refusal

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 09-05-2010

It can be disheartening when you apply for a credit card and get turned down. However, in the vast majority of cases, it really is not anything that you need to worry about. While there are some people out there who would be approved for virtually everything they could think of applying for, for the vast majority of us, applying for a credit card can take a little time and some trial and error.

Credit card providers generally have pretty strict criteria that they are looking for from applicants when they launch a new credit card. They will be targeting the card at a specific segment of the market and will have a credit score range that they are seeking from applicants. If you do not fall within this score range, you will not be in their target range and will be refused the card. But this does not mean that you will not be successful when you apply for another credit card that is targeting your section of the market. And it is important not to take the rejection to heart.

Determining Your Credit Score

You may feel that you are trustworthy and always pay your bills and that you should not be turned down for credit, but remember that credit approval is no longer a personal exercise but is by and large automated and subject to computer credit checks and the like. A computer will look at your credit score and give a yes or no answer, and no individual attention will be paid personally to your application at all. It is a necessary way of running the system for lenders who have literally thousands of clients and applications to manage as efficiently as possible.

The Next Step After Rejection

If you are refused for credit, then apply to a couple more companies. You should try not to rush the process and apply for one card at a time. You usually receive your answer within a couple of days. The reason for this is that if you apply for too much credit too quickly, it will show up on your credit report and may cause lenders to turn you down. So be patient and if possible, ask the lender why they have rejected you.

Patience is a Virtue in Credit Card Applications Too

The chances are you are simply applying for the wrong type of card, for example, if you are a student, you will really only be approved by companies that make a point of providing credit cards to students and most other will reject you as a matter of course. So by a little patience, and taking the time to make your application to a credit card company that targets the segment of the market that you fit into, you should be able to get your hands on a credit card before too long.

Consolidate A Credit Card To Reduce Your Debt

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 26-04-2010

Strange though it may sound a credit card can be a useful tool in controlling debt. The properly chosen credit card can, in fact, be used to consolidate debt. There are several features to look for though if you plan to use a credit card in this manner. As is always the case before you scrutinize any credit card option, you should first have a clear understanding of your credit situation.

Whenever you are approaching a decision about your credit it is of primary importance to pull your credit report. The government has mandated that all individuals be allowed an annual free credit report. When accessing this report make sure that you have gone to a truly free credit report site. Some companies lure people into their sites by advertising a free credit report and then ask for credit card information. Free credit reports are available from such sites but if you have supplied them with credit card information you may find that your card will be billed thirty days later for a credit report update. The charges will continue ever thirty days or so after the initial billing until you have cancelled the service. The best idea is not to give out any billing information in order to receive your free report.

Get a report from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Experian, Trans Union and Equifax). When you ask for your report the site will also offer to send a credit score (FICO score) for a small additional fee; knowing your FICO is also beneficial and generally worth the nominal cost. Again, read the fine print and be careful not to set up any ongoing transactions.

After receiving the three reports analyze them carefully. You are unique but your name may not be. Make sure all the credit card bills are actually yours. Also check to make sure your social security number is listed correctly. Social security numbers are keyed in by hand and thus subject to error. One digit misplaced can give you someone else’s derogatory credit. Report any errors to the agencies. Make the report to all three agencies as they do not share information.

Now you have a list of all the revolving credit card debt that you owe, the balances and contact information. This is the money owed that may be ripe to consolidate on one credit card. Contact the creditors and find out what the current interest rate is on each card and if there are any programs which would allow you to reduce that rate. Let the companies know you are actively shopping for alternatives to your current rates. Customers in good standing with their credit card companies, customers with high FICO scores and customers who regularly charge and make their payments are valued by credit card companies. It may be that you will be offered incentives to retain their cards. Also, inquire about any balance transfer opportunities or other programs such as frequent flier miles.

Now you are going to design your own program to consolidate credit card debt. Compile a list of all the companies with columns comparing the like features: Interest rates, penalties, incentives, credit limits. When choosing which company to use to consolidate your credit cards, look at all the features not just the interest rates. Narrow down the options to two or three cards. Speak with company representatives. It may be possible to negotiate even better terms.

Once you have chosen an institution with which to consolidate credit card debt, follow through and transfer as many of your outstanding balances as possible to that one card. Adjust your credit card behavior and be disciplined about your use of credit. Cut up all the other cards. You may even wish to close all accounts other than one for emergencies. Don’t carry the two remaining cards in your wallet. Remember, charge cards are nice as long as you, not the card, are in charge.

5 Reasons Why You Should Eliminate Credit Card Debt

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 12-09-2009

1.Credit card companies can change almost all of the terms of the credit card by giving just 15 days notice.

We get used to credit card companies adjusting their lending rate by 14% as interest rates fluctuate but did you know they can alter any of the terms for any reason. For example they can increase the late payment fee and they can increase the interest rate without the need to justify it. If you are late or miss just one payment the low rate you are currently being charged can double or even treble almost overnight.

2.Credit card companies can increase the cost of a purchase months after you bought it.

If you purchased a widescreen plasma TV 3 months ago, using a card which at the time was costing 9.9% apr, and you are late with just one payment, the credit card company can charge you a late payment fee, say £40, and increase the interest rate to 29.9% apr, or even more, and there is nothing you can do about it.

They can, in effect, increase the cost of your TV months, or possibly even years after you purchased it. The TV retailer wouldn’t be allowed to do this but your credit card company can.

3.Discount offers are only good if you keep up all your payments.

Interest free balance transfers and initial periods can dissapear for any minor omission. Failure to keep to all the terms of a card will result in special terms being withdrawn and possible penalty interest being applied. If you have interest free purchases and balance transfers make sure you keep up the payments.

4.It’s not just your card payments you have to keep up.

If you miss a payment on your mortgage, or your car or any other financial payment, your credit card companies can re-assess your credit score and increase your interest rate accordingly.

If you therefore miss a loan payment on your boat or car, but still pay the payments due on your cards, you can find that your credit card interest charges jump to 2 or 3 times the original rate.

5.Credit card companies are today making record profits from you.

If you don’t pay your cards in full each month credit card companies make the majority of their profits from you and a substantial portion of that is in the additional charges they levy.

It makes little or no sense to keep money in the bank earning 5% maximum and pay 29.9% or 19.9% or even 9.9% on your cards. Pay off the card and use the card for emergencies rather than the savings. Without the card payments you will be able to rapidly replace the savings.

Without your knowing credit card companies can hold you hostage at the very time you may really need financial assistance. Don’t allow credit card companies the continuing opportunity to make record profits at your expense, and at the same time the opportunity to benefit from any misfortune.

If you can pay the balance off withing 3 to 6 months do so otherwise consider some form of consolidation loan to remove the noose credit card companies have around your neck.

Debt Management gives the comfort of a debt free life

Posted by | Posted in Debt Management | Posted on 17-07-2009

Everyone borrows money from the financial market at one or the other time to meet some urgent needs. But, at that time we don’t realise that taking various debts from different lenders may become a burden one day. If you too are facing the same circumstances then debt management can prove to be the best solution to all your worries.

Debt management can be defined as an informal process of negotiations with the creditor to obtain a reduction in the interest rate levied or to reduce contractual repayment. The negotiation process involves giving proof to the creditors that the debtor has insufficient funds to meet all the debt obligations.

Debt management is a fair and growing service in the UK. Debt problems usually occur due to circumstances which are beyond a person’s control. Debt management not only helps in reducing a borrower’s monthly payment but aims at eliminating all his debts. Borrowers get the benefit to consolidate their debts that are as low £3000 to a maximum of £250,000. Some lenders may even help in eliminating a higher amount of borrower’s debt.

Debt management is open to all. Good credit people, bad credit people or people with bankruptcy, CCJs or bankruptcy. Debt management by managing debts of a debtor can help in improving his credit score by making him accountable to a single low monthly payment.

There are various tools available for debt management. Debt management on a smaller scale is known as debt counselling. The idea is to offer knowledge to the individuals. It involves various debt management techniques-

.Expenditure should be restricted proportionately to the income

.In case a debt has incurred, proper arrangements must be made for its repayment

Another important tool for debt management is debt consolidation loans. The loan provider helps in the settlement of debts. This loan helps in consolidating the existing debts of borrower. It aims to make the repayments affordable by lowering the interest rates.

Borrowers can make efficient use of the expertise of the debt management agencies which they have gained through years of work in this field. Debt management representatives working with debt management agencies give borrower’s the power to get out of debt. They negotiate with the creditors on behalf of the borrower.

Debt management plans are formulated by the debt management representatives or consultants. It can help a debtor to repay the debts at an amount that is affordable. Debt management plan consolidates all the unsecured debts of an individual into a single monthly repayment which is then paid to the creditors on a pro rata basis over an agreed period of time often 4 years or more by the agency which is managing your debts. Trained debt management consultants calculate this amount in assistance with the debtor by thoroughly reviewing his financial position.

You need to stay aware of the fact that as every coin has too faces. There is one more aspect of debt management you need to look at. Most of the debt managers charge hefty fee for this service. But there are debt managers who can do this job for you at a low fee or for free. So you need to keep your eyes and ears open before you decide to opt for debt management.

There are various debt management agencies in the finance market. Look for debt managers who can offer you this service at low cost with maximum benefits. Borrowers can search for debt managing agencies online too. Internet can help you access infinite number of debt management agencies from your home or office computer. The online process saves your time and efforts.

Debt management can make you debt free. But you need to maintain discipline in your life so that you may not fall into the same debt trap in future.