If you have a variety of debts, then you may find it hard to keep up with when and where you should pay money, and you may also be paying more than you need to. If this is the case, then you should think about getting a debt consolidation loan. This means you can take all your debts and put them into once place, which will make it easier to budget each month and also reduce your monthly payments.

Why get a debt consolidation loan?

The main reason to get a debt consolidation loan is to get out of immediate debt the fastest way possible. By borrowing a large lump sum of money, you can pay off your existing debts and then pay back one monthly repayment. Although this payment may be lower than your current repayments, it is likely to take longer to pay off. Despite this, it gives you a fresh start and allows you to begin to move out of debt.

How can I consolidate debt?

Although the simplest way to consolidate your debt is to get one large loan, there are many other ways that you can consolidate your current debts and so reduce your monthly payments:

Credit card transfers

One way to reduce your monthly payments is to transfer credit card balances to new cards with a 0% fee. This can be useful if you can pay the debt off within the special offer timeframe, although it can be time consuming to keep switching between cards.

Home equity loans

One of the best ways to consolidate your debts is youre a home equity loan. By securing a loan against your home equity, you will get the best interest rates and also be eligible for tax deduction against some of the interest. The only problem is that if you cannot make the repayments, you will lose your home equity or even your entire property.

Another problem is that home equity loans are usually over a longer period, meaning that even if you save money in interest, the additional length means you might end up paying more back than your current debts.

Retirement funds

You can often access your retirement funds as a loan from your employers, although this should only be used in an emergency of if you have nowhere else to turn. Using your retirement fund can speed up the debt repayment, but may leave you with less money in the future, and if you quit your job then the loan will be recalled in full with immediate effect.

Renegotiate with your current lender

If your debt problems relate to your mortgage, then the only way to consolidate your debts or improve your situation might be to negotiate your current terms. Most mortgage lenders would rather renegotiate than repossess your home, as they will lose out if you default. Stretching out payments may help you to better manage your debt when you need to the most.

Unsecured Debt Consolidation Tips For Getting A No-collateral Loan

Getting an unsecured debt consolidation is not easy, but possible. For the most part, banks and other financial institutions are hesitant to loan money that is not secured by a piece of property. If you were to default on the loan, the lender is unable to recoup their lost. However, some lenders are willing to offer unsecured debt consolidation loans. To obtain such as loan, you must be a prime candidate

Traditional Debt Consolidation Options

Typically, consumers would obtain a debt consolidation using their vehicle or home as collateral. This involved giving the lender possession of a vehicle title or applying for a home equity loan or home equity line of credit. In both instances, if you were unable to repay the loan, the lender could claim your home or car.

Today, many financial institutions are making it possible for consumers to obtain unsecured personal debt consolidation loans. These loans do not require collateral, which could mean a higher interest rate.

Getting Approved for an Unsecured Debt Consolidation Loan

If you are hoping to get approved for an unsecured debt consolidation loan, you must take steps to ensure that banks will consider you a prime applicant. Unsecured debt consolidated loans are not offered to just anyone. Because these loans are not secured, financial institutions are very cautious.

To obtain an unsecured debt consolidation loan, lenders require a very good credit rating. Hence, the key to getting approved for any type of unsecured loan is boosting your credit. To begin, check your personal credit report. Contact several lenders and inquire of their individuals requirements for obtaining an unsecured loan.

In most cases, lenders will require a minimum credit score. If you meet their lending requirements, request a quote. In fact, get quotes from at least three or four lenders. Unsecured loans may carry a higher interest rate. However, some lenders will offer comparative rates for top applicants. These consist of individuals with remarkably high credit scores.

Lenders rarely offer unsecured debt consolidation loans to people with fair or bad credit ratings. The odds of these prospective borrowers defaulting on the loan are much higher. For the most part, persons with a superb credit rating will not risk damaging their credit, which makes them prime candidates for unsecured loans.

For a growing number of Americans, debt is a serious problem, and one that can sneak up on you. The first step toward controlling your debt is being aware of it. Once youve established that you need to consolidate and pay down your debt, the following ten possibilities may be useful to you.

10. If you have a 401-K or other employer-sponsored retirement account, borrow part of the money to pay down your debt. This should be used as a last resort, however. If you cannot pay the money back within five years, you will be assessed the taxes and penalties associated with the early withdrawal of the funds.

9. If you have life insurance, borrow money against your policy. Strictly speaking, you dont ever have to pay the amount back if you cant or dont want to, but it will be deducted from the amount paid to your beneficiaries. For this reason, planning to pay the money back is advisable.

8. Borrow the money from family or friends. It probably will save you interest, but the list of associated problems can include the potential for damaged personal relationships, the expectation of a return of the favor years down the road even after what you borrowed has been repaid, and the possibility of legal action against you by someone who was previously a good friend or close family member.

7. Consult a debt consolidation service. Make sure youre working with a service that does not charge you high fees. Check with your local Better Business Bureau or other consumer protection agency. Youll likely sacrifice two things to work with a debt consolidation service: your freedom to open and use additional credit lines and, in many cases, your credit rating. The service will usually ask you to make one monthly payment that it will then use to pay your creditors. There are two main types, debt settlement and credit counseling. Debt settlement can hurt your credit score, but will lower your monthly payments and save you the most money without filing bankruptcy. Credit counseling lowers your interest rates and your monthly payments by less.

6. Renegotiate with your creditors. Your creditors may require that you incur no additional debt while working to pay off what youve already accrued. And they are under no obligation to agree to renegotiation; however, it is often to their advantage as well, since it means they will eventually collect.

5. Sick of getting those introductory 0% interest credit card offers in the mail? Before you throw the next one away, consider how much interest you could save by consolidating all your debt onto a new card. Be very careful, though. If you continually open new cards and close older ones, youre not helping your credit rating. If you would like to consolidate all your debt onto a single card, consider keeping at least one of your older cards open with a small balance as well.

4. Do you own a car, boat, motorcycle, etc. with a free and clear title? If so, take out a title loan. Make sure youre getting the rate you want. Also, be certain you understand the terms (will you get to keep your car, boat, or other collateral, or will you have to turn it over to the lender for the term of the loan?). Get a clear idea of the payment schedule, as failure to meet any of the terms may leave you without ownership of your property.

3. Take out a personal or signature loan. Weigh this option carefully, as the interest rate on this type of loan may not be significantly lower than what youre already paying.

2. Refinance your home and take cash out at closing. This will help you pay down your high-interest debt without too much difficulty, and can be tax deductible. It saves you money and gets you a lower monthly payment. Just make sure that there is no possibility of missing a payment, because you dont want to face a foreclosure because you transferred too much unsecured debt to secured debt.

1. If you own your home and have enough equity in it, take out a home equity loan or line of credit. Not only can you use the money for anything you would like, including debt consolidation, but the interest you pay on the loan will be tax-deductible so you will save in more than one way.

While some of these options may be more desirable than others, and most come with their own set of complications and consequences, keep in mind that they are likely preferable to continuing to struggle with unmanageable debt.

While many articles and books have been written to help you once you’re in debt, very few have been written about how to avoid getting into debt in the first place. Many people choose to go to credit counseling only after they’re on the brink of filing for bankruptcy. If you want to be successful financially, you have to first learn how to do things before the fact, not after it. In this article I will show you some common sense things you can do to avoid debt.

Teaching Personal Finance At Grassroots

Understanding the importance of personal finance is a key factor in being successful in life. It is hard to do much of anything if you are unable to manage your money. Most highschools today don’t teach teenagers the importance of finance despite the fact credit card companies will mail them cards upon their graduation. I believe this one of the reaons why the average American family today owes about $10,000 in credit card debt. They simply do not understand how to manage their money, or they lack the discipline to do so.

Save For Your Luxuries Dont Borrow

The first step in avoiding debt is to simply not borrow money. If you want something that you can’t afford to pay for with cash, you probably don’t need it. If you really want it, you should save up your money and buy it. By doing this you will become disciplined and stay out of debt at the same time. It is easy to get a credit card or a loan to buy something. It takes discipline and hard work to save up enough money to buy it. Saving money has always been a simple path to building wealth. The more money you save, the wealthier you’ll become.

Do You Really Need The Latest Tech Goods?

Many people are distracted by the bells and whistles of the many electronic products which flood the market today. Many people fail to realize that the digital camera or Ipod you pay $200 for today won’t be worth anything tomorrow. Electronics almost always depreciate in value. Why go out and use a credit card to buy expensive electronics when they will lose their value after they’re purchased?

Cut Out The Middle Man

One way to effectively mangage your money is to develop a wholesale mentality. When I say this I mean that you should consider not paying retail prices for electronics, furniture, or other goods. You should think about paying wholesale prices for these goods rather than retail, especially if they depreciate in value. Instead of going to the mall or furniture store to shop for clothes or furniture, why not go to a clothing outlet or thrift store?

The Freedom Of Being Debt Free

Many people become wealthy and debt free by simply saving their money, paying wholesale prices for goods, and placing some of their savings in safe investments like IRA accounts. They often will only have one credit card if any, and the amount of money they have saved up will be much larger than the balance they owe on their credit card. This is the real secret to wealth. The get rich quick schemes and late night infomercials are disinformation which will not give you true answers.

Dont Be Another Sheep!

Avoiding debt and maintaining good credit is another key of financial success. It is important to understand the 80/20 principle when dealing with personal finance. You will want to avoid doing what 80% of the population does. Most people owe tens of thousands of dollars on credit cards, student loans, or car loans. Others use payday loans between paychecks to make ends meet. This puts them in a cycle of debt which will keep them from ever becoming wealthy or retiring in comfort. The credit card companies and banks continue to make billions while most consumers are getting further into debt.

The Tax Implications of Debt Settlement and Why Chances Are You Shouldnt Care

(The author of this article is not a tax attorney, CPA, or enrolled agent, and this is not to be considered tax advice. If you need tax advice, you should consult someone who is certified in this arena.

Did you hear about Bill Gates? He decided to give away all his shares of Microsoft and start working at a car wash in Seattle. When Larry King asked him why he decided to do it, Gates admitted that he was losing too much money on the taxes. You see—by making 7 an hour, he would be in the lowest tax bracket, and if he could manage to make less than 19,000 a year, then he would not have to pay any taxes at all! Back when he was making a 1 billion annually, he was left with 500 million after taxes every year. So Gates thinks he can make more money this way.

As preposterous as the above example sounds, its exactly the same logic employed by consumers who fear the tax implications of debt settlement. For one, most people enrolled in debt negotiation programs dont have to pay taxes on their savings as is (more on this later). Secondly, why in the world would it ever even deter you from enrolling in a debt settlement program anyway? Its literally the equivalent of someone turning down a million pound salary for minimum wages because of the favorable tax implications. Consider the following scenario.

Frank owed 20,000 at 19% interest when he enrolled in a debt settlement program. When it was all said and done, Frank was able to reduce his debt down by 45% and in the process he saved 9000 off the balance alone. Unfortunately, each of his creditors reported his savings to the IRS and he was forced to tack on 9000 to his 40,000 annual income. So he was taxed like he made 49,000, which put him in the 30% tax bracket and meant he had to come up with 2700 on April 15th. Regrettably, Frank did not have the money, so he got on a payment plan with the IRS, who charged him their current interest rate, which happens to be 8 percent annually. In the end, Frank paid off the IRS in 1 year for 2916. This means that Frank in actuality only saved about 6,000 off the balance. So would Frank have been better off continuing to pay the minimums instead of settling his debts? Lets see. He saved 6,000 off the balance alone and roughly 40,000 in interest charges, which brings his net savings to 46,000. Its pretty clear that it was still in Franks best interests financially to do debt settlement.

It does not end here. Most debt settlement candidates never have to pay taxes on the debt anyway. The IRS exempts anyone who was technically insolvent at the time their debt was settled from having to pay taxes on the savings. So the next question is, what does it mean to be insolvent? According the IRS, someone is insolvent when their assets (what you own) exceed their liabilities (what you owe), and it should come as no surprise that when someone is at the point when theyre seeking debt relief, theyre probably in debt up to their eye balls and therefore are insolvent. If you owe more than the value of your assets, then all you have to do is fill out IRS form 982 along with your tax return illustrating this fact. All told it will probably take you a couple hours to do this, and if you saved 46,000 like Frank in our example, then its the equivalent of making 23,000 an hour. Unless youre Bill Gates, its probably worth it.

Say “Bah, Humbug!” To Holiday Debt: Avoid the “Holiday Hangover”

Ah, the holiday season! Turkey and dressing, pumpkin pie, office parties, jingle bells, and lots and lots of eggnog make the season a delight. But all fun and reindeer games aside, you have to be careful to make sure you don’t wind up as poor as Tiny Tim! Americans can spend as much as 1,000 a year on gifts for family, friends and business associates. That is a big chunk of money that can hit you pretty hard come January if you don’t plan ahead. There are some tips and tricks you can do to keep your holidays bright and debt-free this year.

Before the holidays arrive, do some careful plotting and planning for family and business expenses. A few hours spent in preparation can mean less money spent on gifts. You don’t have to be Scrooge, you just have to be smart.

1) Decide how much you are willing to spend, and stick to it. Pretend you are spending cash. How much can you afford out of pocket this month? If you cannot afford it right now, consider that you cannot afford it at all.

2) Budget non-gift and after-Christmas items too. Remember to include other things you buy over the holidays – cards, stamps, candles, a tree, decorations, and food galore. Plus, plan ahead to save some money for next year by taking advantage of after Christmas sales. It is all part of your holiday spending, so plan for it in your holiday budget.

3) Make a list of everyone you will be buying gifts for and estimate how much you want to spend on each person. Include the smaller gifts for teachers or your mailman. Include the price of cards and stamps, because Christmas cards count as gifts when it comes to your budget. Then, add it up and compare the total to your budgeted amount. Make the necessary adjustments. Your brother-in-law may only get socks this year.

4) Cut down your list. This may sound harsh, but look closely at who you are buying gifts for. When saving money is an issue, it is ok not to give gifts to everyone you know. Send only cards to distant relatives, neighbors you don’t know well and business owners who haven’t bought from you this year.

5) Be creative. Determine if some people would be happy to receive home baked cookies. Remember, the holidays aren’t about presents but about good will towards man. Good will comes in many forms and does not always need wrapping paper. If you have a skill or a hobby, use it: needlework, knitting, art or poems. Make a photo album, or offer to plant their garden. Use discount coupons for your customers.

6) Carry your shopping list with you. Take every opportunity to shop. Start early and try to get things before the rush, before highly sought, hard-to-find items go up in price, and before you can’t find what you need. This gives you a chance to comparison shop. It also takes away some of the stress and reduces your risk of overspending just for the sake of finishing your shopping.

7) If a store offers free gift-wrap, go for it! It’ll save you time and money on buying wrapping paper, tape, bows, and cards and struggling with it all yourself.

Have willpower. Stick to your estimates and you won’t go over budget. eBay is a wonderful shopping tool if you remember to start early enough to account for shipping time. Find the right item, bid your budget price and leave it. If someone outbids you, don’t get into a bidding war, just bid on something else within your price range.

9) Increase your income for the season. During the holidays there are lots of ways to make a little extra money. Many stores hire part-time workers for the holidays. Since it is a party season, babysitting is in high demand. Be imaginative. You could be the Official Gift Wrapper in your neighborhood and wrap gifts for friends and neighbors for a small fee.

10) Use your credit cards. Yes! If you stick to your budget and only spend what you are able to pay for in the next 30 days, then yes, you CAN use credit cards. The key is to use them as you would cash. Using your credit card is not a way to buy things you can’t afford, it is a way to organize your spending and possibly get some rewards and discounts along the way.

11) Make the credit card companies compete for your business. It may be the holidays, but you can dig in your heels and play hardball. Call your credit card bank and tell them you won’t be using their card for your holiday purchases unless they sweeten it up for you. You want a little sugar and spice to make using that card a better deal. You can ask for 0% interest, double your gas points or flyer miles. Anything to make using your credit card more worthwhile. Banks will usually be willing to strike a deal with you, so long as you try. It can’t hurt to ask.

12) Use specialized credit cards, but carefully. Many of the stores where you will be buying your holiday gifts offer their own credit cards. They tend to have ridiculously high interest rates. However, they may give you discounts of 10%, 15%, sometimes even 20%! So, you could actually go ahead and use a store credit card to make the purchases and get the discounts, since you are paying these off when the bill comes due the interest rates should not be a problem. If you do get into a pinch and can’t pay them off right away, then transfer your balance to your lower-rate credit card before any interest is added to the higher-rate one. You need to be on the ball with this trick, but it may save you money.

It is important to keep in mind that every new credit card you apply for will lower your credit score. So if you’re saving up for a mortgage or a large loan, you’ll want to avoid applying for additional credit.

Come the start of January, your main concern is going to be getting ready for the new year, and you won’t want post-holiday money troubles making things worse. The Ghost of Christmas Past starts visiting even before you put the tree in the trash. Be sure to have a Happy New Year by being money-wise in advance.

(c) 2005 DebtGuru.com(r). This article may be freely distributed as long as the signature file and active link are included.

Oprahs Debt Diet: What It Is and How You Can Benefit from It

In February 2006, Oprah Winfrey challenged her television viewers and all other Americans to get out of debt. If you are currently suffering from debt than you know that it is difficult to overcome. That is why Oprah and a number of financial experts developed the Oprah Debt Diet.

Oprah’s Debt Diet includes a step-by-step guide on overcoming debt. It is important to note that getting out of debt will not happen over night. That is why Oprah’s step-by-step guide is important because it helps debt ridden individuals change their daily habits over time. If you are currently searching for a way out of debt you are encouraged to read on and learn a few of the steps in Oprah’s Debt Diet.

Step # 1 – Determine Exactly How Much Debt You Have

This first step is extremely important because it is impossible to get completely out of debt if you are unaware of all of your debt. The easiest way to determine how much debt you owe is by collecting all of your current and overdue bills or by requesting a copy of your credit report. Your credit report can easily be obtained from one of the three main credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

Step #2 – Eliminate Unnecessary Expenses

Like many other Americans, it is likely that you grab a soda or coffee while at work. Those items are expensive and they quickly add up. Did you know that simply by eliminating unnecessary purchases you could get out of debt a lot quicker than you may have originally thought? Tracking all of your purchases for one week is a great way to know what items you can live without purchasing.

Step #3 – Learn About the Credit Cards You Have

Many Americans are falling victim to late fees, annual fees, and high interest rates without even knowing it. The best way to prevent credit card debt is by knowing how your credit card works. It is also important to know that minimum payments may sound great, but in reality they are a financial death trap because they only keep you in debt longer. If you successfully follow step 2, you could use your extra money to make more than the minimum payments each month.

Step #4 – Learn to Cut Back on Your Spending Habits

Step 2 mentioned eliminating unnecessary purchases. Eliminating unnecessary purchases is a great way to get out of debt, but it can be difficult to do. Individuals who are unable to control their spending habits are encouraged to not carry credit or debit cards with them. If a credit card is used, it is important to make the payments on time and pay as much of it as you can. It is also important not to obtain new credit cards during this time or accept offers of increased spending limits.

Step # 5 – Develop a Monthly Spending Plan

A monthly spending plan, also commonly referred to as budget, is a great way to allocate money to necessary expenses. A monthly budget is the best because it can include holidays, birthdays, and other special events that only occur during certain months. Your budget should include all housing costs and expenses, transportation expenses, other miscellaneous expenses, and the debt that you owe.

Step #6 – Develop Ways to Increase Your Income

When developing a budget, there are many Americans who realize that they do not make enough money to pay for all of their expenses and debt. If you are one of those individuals then you may want to consider finding ways to obtain extra income. Extra income does not necessarily mean having to get a second job. It can also mean altering your lifestyle. The Debt Diet recommends going without a vehicle if possible and relocating if your current home expenses are too high.

Step #7 – Develop a Customized Plan to Get Rid of Your Debt

A customized plan can be developed simply by prioritizing your debt. This means that you will examine all of your debt and determine which debt you need to pay off first. The date of the debt, how much it is, and what can happen if you don’t pay it should be examined when deciding what or who to payoff first.

Step #8 – Determine Why You Spend Money and Try to Change It

Many unnecessary purchases are made when individuals are feeling angry or depressed. It is also possible that you are an impulse buyer or that you may have a shopping addiction. Whatever the reason for your unnecessary purchases, there are ways to change it. Sometimes this process may require professional help, but other times it can simply be cured with other activities.

Oprah’s Debt Diet worked for the guests on her show and there is no reason why it cannot work for you. As previously mentioned, getting out of debt is difficult and it will not happen over night. If you sway away from any of the above mentioned steps do not give up. Try as many times as it may take. Once you make the steps of the Oprah Debt Diet a part of your daily routine you will be on your way to being debt free.

In Debt Over Your Head? These 5 Simple Steps Will Help

The next 5 steps are not difficult. They only take commitment. You can do it. The feeling of freedom and success when the bills are not hanging over your head will make this all worthwhile.

Ready to get stated? Let’s go.

Step #1. Work out where you are now

You may not have looked at your financial position for a while. Maybe that’s why you are suffering under a load of debt presently. But you need to take stock of your financial position now. Unless you know where you are now, it’s hard to work out how to fix things.

Just get a pen and paper and all your credit card bills and look at the situation honestly. List out all your debts and their interest rates and the minimum monthly repayments.

Don’t get worried about how much you owe. It’s been said that anyone can get rid of all their debt within 5-7 years, including their mortgage. That means you too.

Step #2 Stop spending more than you earn NOW

This is the first thing that must be done to start the ball rolling for your financial success. This is most probably the reason you need to take action now. Look at your living expenses and cut out those things you can’t afford.

Also cut up all the credit cards except one for emergencies and commit yourself to only spending what you can afford from your own income.

Step #3. Find some cash to pay down those debts

Once you have come to grips with Step #2, the next step is to work out ways to put some money aside every week or month to start paying down those debts, preferably faster than the minimum monthly requirement. Pay as much as you can. It’s better to pay down these debts than to put the money in the bank. This is because the credit card interest is a lot more than you can receive from the bank for funds on deposit. The aim is pay down the highest interest debt first.

If you have 2 credit cards with the same interest rate, pay off the one with the smallest balance first. That will give you a boost and the resolve to keep on going.

Step #4. Build a Savings Fund

Once you have those credit cards under control it’s time to think about putting some funds aside to start building some savings. You’ll be surprised how fast your money grows if you religiously keep adding to the balance and don’t touch it. If you really need to purchase an expensive item like furniture or car it is better to save for it than to borrow, if at all possible.

Step #5. Pay Down That Mortgage.

Since the interest rate on your mortgage is usually a lot less than credit card and store debt you can leave this item till last. Also it is increasing in value over time – unlike your car, TV, Video, furniture and boat. You will be surprised how many years you can cut off your mortgage repayments by just adding a few extra pounds each month to the payment.

These a just a few basic rules to help you get back on your feet financially. The main principle here is to work on reducing your credit card debt. Once that is done use those freed up funds to build your nest egg and pay off the mortgage. That’s the plan that works.

Now get those documents out, do the sums and start on your road to financial freedom.