Cheapest Way to Consolidate Debt

If you have borrowed money through credit cards or personal loans and do not have the ability to pay them back, you may be at the mercy of high interest rates and finance charges that never allow you to be free of the debt. A debt consolidation loan can help you pay off your debts faster by making small monthly repayments to only one lender. This is a popular strategy for consolidating your debt at a low cost and can give you more flexibility with your finances. Here’s how to get started on the loan consolidation process:

Things You'll Need

• Most recent credit card statements
• Recent loan statements
• Cash and savings account information

Instructions

1. Use a debt calculator to determine the total amount of debt you are carrying. Use your most recent statements for each debt; this will help you determine which debts you want to include on your payment plan.

2. Apply for a free debt consolidation loan. Select a debt consolidation lender online, or obtain a recommendation from your personal banker.

3. Complete your loan consolidation application. Your application will need to include all credit cards and loans you are interested in consolidating, their total balances and personal information that will be used to run a credit report.

4. Begin making monthly payments. Selecting a loan with a low monthly payment can save you money in the short term, but you can consolidate debt faster if you pay much more than your minimum requirements.

5. Stop using other credit cards. Avoid using credit cards that were not part of your debt consolidation process so that you can manage your finances better and avoid accumulating additional debt.

6. Create and maintain a monthly budget. Create a realistic budget that includes your debt consolidation loan payment so you can organize your finances and pay off as much as possible in a short period of time. This will reduce the accumulation of interest payments, making your overall loan consolidation as cheap as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Select a debt consolidation loan that is close to the total monthly payments you were making previously; this reduces your risk of spending beyond your means as you try and pay down your original debts

• Don’t open any new credit card accounts or apply for other loans for at least 6 months after your debt consolidation loan has been approved

• Remember that credit card repayment bills may qualify as a tax write-off

• Pay more than your minimum monthly payment to reduce your debt as quickly as possible

• Don't miss a single payment on your debt consolidation loan; this can leave a negative mark on your credit report and may increase your interest rate

• Make sure your credit report is free of errors or omissions before submitting your application

• Learn about any application or account maintenance fees involved with your loan consolidation; most lenders will provide this information it the fine print or addendum of your loan papers

Resources

• Debt Calculator from Bankrate.com