Finances

The Federal student loan program has benefited thousands of college students in the forty years since it was introduced. Interest rates for the program have historically been quite competitive, and the program has allowed many people to acquire a college education who otherwise might not have been able to afford one.

At the moment, interest rates on Federal student loans are the lowest in history, but that is about to change. On July 1, 2005, the interest rates on Federal student loans will rise, due to an increase in the price of Treasury, bills, to which the interest rates on student loans are tied.

While an increase in interest rates is seldom viewed as a good thing, knowing about it ahead of can be helpful. Between now and June 30, new graduates or those who have been repaying existing loans can consolidate their student loans at current rates. The rates currently vary, with fixed rates being slightly higher than adjustable rates. Those considering consolidation might wish to convert their loan to a fixed rate. Depending on the amount of the loan, borrowers may extend their loan terms to as long as 30 years.

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Are you wondering why choose a debt consolidation loan? If you are one of the many people who continually struggle to cope with an ever increasing amount of debt the solution could well be within your reach.

Are you feeling overburdened with debt? Are you paying out too much every month for your credit cards, store cards and loans? Then why not replace them all with one, lower, convenient repayment through a consolidation loan?

If your are looking to:

reduce interest rates

lower your monthly payments

avoid bankruptcy

consolidate your bills

have one monthly payment

or simply get out of debt the fastest way possible

then a debt consolidation loan could provide the answer.

How can a debt consolidation loan help with debts?

Consolidation loans can give you a fresh start, allowing you to consolidate all of your loans into one - giving you one easy to manage payment, and in most cases, at a lower rate of interest. A carefully-managed debt consolidation loan can help in the following ways:

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Debt consolidation has become big business in this country over the last several years. Consumers with the good conscience to avoid filing for bankruptcy are turning to debt consolidation in hopes of saving their credit and getting out of debt sooner. But is it really necessary to turn to a debt consolidation company? Critics of the programs offered through most debt consolidation companies would, of course, tell you no.

Many debt consolidation companies have gained a bad reputation. This isn’t really surprising considering that some debt consolidation companies have filed for bankruptcy protection themselves. Several have claimed to be non-profit and been shut down for circumstances surrounding hidden fees.

Debt consolidation companies have gotten such a bad name as of late that some don’t even call themselves debt consolidation companies any longer. It’s doubtful they believe that it’s hard for consumers to recognize that they are in fact debt consolidation companies. However, so many have been warned to stay away from debt consolidation companies that it’s probably a smart business move on the part of any debt consolidation company to keep the term out of the company name.

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If you believe in the good in people then you probably also believe that few people take out loans, or other forms of credit, with the intention of skipping the bill. With credit counseling, debt consolidation, and even bankruptcy on the rise, it’s a little hard to believe in the good in people. But at least many are making that last attempt at making good on their debts through debt consolidation before heading straight to bankruptcy.

It’s no wonder that so many are having to turn to debt consolidation these days. The average household debt in this country is close to $10,000. Much of that is credit card debt with the average consumer carrying 8-10 of the little buggers. Debt continues to rise steadily every year, as do the interest rates associated with carrying that debt. Debt consolidation is obviously an appealing solution to those who have become buried in the stress of their finances.

Debt consolidation can be beneficial in combining all of your credit card payments into one lower monthly payment. Debt consolidation can save you a large amount of money right out of the gate by reducing or eliminating penalties and interest previously accumulated. Reduction of your average interest rate is almost always a benefit of debt consolidation as well as keeping you from having to file bankruptcy to escape the mounting pressure.

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Learning about debt consolidation can be quite a confusing venture for your average person. There is plenty of conflicting information to be found about debt consolidation. If you have explored debt consolidation as a solution to your financial stress then this is probably not news to you.

There are new debt consolidation companies added to the mix everyday. Some debt consolidation companies claim that you can handle the negotiations yourself, yet others convince you that there is no way you can get out of debt through debt consolidation without their expertise. It’s really easy, for a person under the extreme burden of financial stress, to be taken by an unscrupulous debt consolidation company. You should definitely do your research before committing to a particular debt consolidation company to avoid spending unnecessary money on debt consolidation.

Another often conflicting piece of information about debt consolidation is whether or not potential creditors regard debt consolidation as a responsible and positive financial move. Many people have been unpleasantly surprised to learn, after the fact, that they were denied credit because of their affiliation with a debt consolidation company. However, many of these debt consolidation companies claim that using their services will not negatively impact your credit worthiness in the eyes of future creditors.

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If you have considered debt consolidation then you are probably a little overwhelmed with the mass amount of debt consolidation companies there are to choose from. With some of these debt consolidation companies, it’s hard to even find out what debt consolidation is all about. It seems you have to commit to sharing your entire financial history, as well as sitting through a high pressure sales pitch, with some.

It may not have occurred to you that you can take debt consolidation into your own hands. As with most things in life, there are going to be advantages and disadvantages with handling your own debt consolidation. Credit counseling may be in order before even considering debt consolidation, if you don’t have any idea where to start. It’s important to remember that there are resources available and it’s best to use them, rather than trying to wing it, when it comes to debt consolidation.

The first step in do it yourself debt consolidation is to assess the situation. You need to know how much debt you actually have, how old the debt is, and whether or not the debt is still with the creditor or if it has gone to a collection agency. Then you should prioritize your debt. Debt consolidation should not result in the loss of any of your secured property, so you will want to deal with those creditors first.

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When you are living paycheck to paycheck and it seems everyone is getting a piece of the pie except for you, debt consolidation may help you free up a little bit of cash each month. Debt consolidation is usually a great option if you are paying several minimum payments per month on high interest credit cards or loans. If you are behind on any payments, debt consolidation may save your credit, or at least clean it up a bit.

Debt consolidation is basically a loan that you would use to pay off all of your debts leaving you with only one payment. The debt consolidation loan payment is usually much less than the amount that all of the other bills added up to before you eliminated them through the debt consolidation.

Obviously with the reduction or elimination of all of that high interest, you will become debt free much quicker with debt consolidation than you would otherwise. Unless, of course, you look at that extra cash as a means to pay for further debt that you may acquire. With debt consolidation, you have to keep your eye on the goal of being debt free, not just having more money to spend. If you keep adding more debt then debt consolidation is really pointless.

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It is quiet easy to get into financial difficulty having a home mortgage, a car truck or SUV loan and credit card repayments. There are now considerably more individuals than ever before with greater debts than they can afford. If you are in financial trouble due to credit card debt, then a debt consolidation loan may be the best solution.

A debt consolidation loan will not reduce the amount you owe but will reduce the interest rate and possible extend the term. But it will reduce your monthly repayments, cuts interest charges, and help you create a monthly household budget, improve your credit rating by paying creditors quickly and prevent pestering phone calls to your house from creditors.

The most important benefit of credit card debt consolidation is that it provides a new beginning on the road to much better money management. However there is the danger of some people returning to the bad financial habits which got them into difficulty in the first place. You will need to keep your spending down, and should you have surplus cash, keep it, invest it securely, or pay off your home mortgage early.

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Borrowing money against your credit cards has always been among the most expensive ways to borrow money, and when you fail to pay your bill in full each month, borrowing is exactly what you’re doing. You’re not alone; the average American household now carries more than $8000 in credit card debt. It’s easier to accumulate credit card debt than other types of debt for the following reasons:

They’re easy to use. It’s far easier to borrow spend money on a credit card, even thousands of dollars at a time, than it is to go to the bank and secure a loan. Convenience can easily lead to overindulgence.

The interest rates are higher than for other types of debt. The interest rate on your mortgage may be 6%. The interest rate on your credit card may be 25%. That adds up in a hurry, especially if you are carrying a balance.

There is no set repayment schedule requiring you to pay back a set amount each month. The only requirement is that you pay at least 2% of your outstanding balance. Many people pay exactly that, and no more, causing the interest to accumulate quickly

Credit card lenders tend not to be very forgiving. If you make a late payment, you could end up with a late fee of as much as $39 in addition to having your interest rate increase.

Many credit cards come with annual fees, which can add to your debt, especially if you don’t pay them in full. Then you end up paying interest on the annual fee!

There are number of solutions available. All they require is a bit of time and diligence. Besides shopping around for the card with the best rate and doing a bit of debt consolidation to place all of your credit card debt on the lowest interest card you own, you might also consider the following:

Ask your lender to waive your annual fee. The competitive nature of the credit card business means that your lender will often waive these fees just for the asking. They would usually rather waive your fee rather than lose you as a customer. It costs nothing to ask. If they do waive the fee, add the fee amount to your next payment.

Pay more than the monthly minimum payment. The minimum payment may soon go to 4%, which may place many borrowers who currently pay only the 2% minimum in a bind. Get in the habit of paying more each month, or pay your bill in full, if you can.

Did you get a large tax refund? Send it to your credit card company. Sure, it would be nice to spend it on a new TV, but if you spend it on a TV while carrying a balance on your credit card at 25%, you are effectively paying 25% interest on your TV.

Use your debit card instead of a credit card. They have the same convenience and ease of use, but few of the drawbacks.

Paying off the national average of $8000 in credit card debt can take a lifetime if you only make the minimum payments. That is a trap that you should make a concerted effort to avoid and by taking a few simple steps, you can keep your debt to a minimum.

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Americans are using credit cards more than at any time in history, and credit card companies are reaping record profits. One of the reasons that the credit card industry is so profitable is that so many of us use our credit cards unwisely.

If you have good credit, you can get a credit card with a reasonable interest rate; say 10% or so. You can keep that rate by paying your bill on time. On the other hand, if you pay your bills late or fail to pay in full, then you will have to pay late fees and interest. Late fees often range between $15 and $29; some card issuers may charge even more. Adding to the pain of paying late fees, however, is the likely change in interest rates on your card if you pay late. A late payment may trigger a substantial increase in the interest rate on your card, and that "reasonable" interest rate of 10% may suddenly rise to 20% or even 25%!

It’s hard to pay off your credit card balance when you have late fees and 25% interest, so this is something you definitely want to avoid. If you usually pay on time, and you pay late once and are charged a late fee, ask your credit company if they will waive the fee. They will often do it ? once. Some will not do it at all, but it is always worth taking the time to ask. If they are unwilling to help you, then you may be better off shopping around for a better credit card deal elsewhere.

You can often save money by transferring your balance to a lower interest credit card, if you have one. Competition has been fierce during the last few years among credit card companies, and it is fairly common to receive "promotional" rates of less than 5% if you transfer your balance to another card. Be sure to read the fine print, however. Those low rates usually apply only to transferred balances, and not to new charges placed on the card. There is usually a time limit associated with the promotional rate, and higher rates may apply at the end of the time limit, perhaps even retroactively!

In summary, if you want to minimize your credit card costs, try the following:

Shop around for a credit card with a low interest rate.

Pay your bills on time. A good way to do this is to pay online. That way, you won’t have to worry about your check being delayed in the mail.

Transfer balances from high interest rate cards to cards with lower rates.

Use your cards wisely. If you can pay cash, do it.

A few simple steps can save you a fortune in interest charges and late fees.

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