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Debt Consolidation

Questions You’ve Had about Consolidating Debt But Haven’t Asked

Debt consolidation is regarded with kind eyes by many Aussies and often described as a solution to all of your problems. Just like the name says, debt consolidation refers to putting all of your debts together, in order to keep track of your payments easier. But perhaps you have questions about consolidating debt. Maybe you are unsure how it works and confused about how you can save money by choosing this finance option.

In this article, we reveal all!

Is Debt Consolidation the Right Choice for You?

If you’re making multiple payments per month, then you know by now that each comes with different interest rates and fees. In this case, yes, debt consolidation is the right call. Also, by consolidating your loans, you will always have to make one monthly payment, instead of sending money to a number of lenders.

Here are the top 6 questions about consolidating debt:

  1. Can I combine my home loan with my personal loan?

Consolidation allows you to combine all of your loans into a single one, regardless of their type. Keeping track of your home loan, car loan, personal loan and so on can be tiring. This is a time-saving solution.

  1. How will consolidation benefit my expenses?

Some loans have bigger interest rates than others. By combining them, you will have a fixed rate that you’ll pay monthly. This way, you’ll know exactly the amount you’ll have to repay, without also having to deal with various taxes and fees that accompany each loan.

  1. Am I eligible for consolidation?

Everybody can choose to consolidate their debt. Still, check with your lender and see if your home loan allows you this option. If not, try to change the features or simply look into a refinancing that incorporates debt consolidation.

  1. Is it better to pay my car loan in 30 years?

When you combine all your loans, you can choose to prolong the payments, in order to fit your home loan. Unfortunately, even though your rates will be lowered considerably, the interest fees will expand due to dividing the car loan for example, over a period of 30 years. You can adjust the debt consolidation to fit your needs.

  1. Should I consolidate if I have bad credit?

This is actually the main reason why people consolidate their debts. Debt consolidation tells lenders that you have placed your affairs in order and are serious about improving your financial situation. Also, it will enhance your credit score.

  1. How can the equity in my home help?

Through debt consolidation, the equity in your home can reduce significantly the interest rates you’re paying each month. Being a secured line of credit, a home equity loan will use the equity in your home as collateral, which can lead to a fixed and smaller interest rate.

If you’re having financial problems and can’t afford to pay back all your loans, expanding the loans over a longer period of time will help you get back on your feet by paying less each month. So, talk to your lender about this option.

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Debt Consolidation

What is the Best Way to Consolidate Debt?

The best way to consolidate debt depends on your needs and financial situation. Here are ways to consolidate your debt to ease your financial burden and build your credit score.

Types of debt consolidation

There are two ways to consolidate debt; through a debt consolidation loan or debt settlement consolidation.

Debt Consolidation

The first type is a type of loan that pays all of your outstanding debts in full so your credit report would show a zero balance on those debts. Instead of multiple loans, you only have one loan. Consolidated loans typically reduce the interest rates and monthly payments but it has longer repayment period.

In debt consolidation, a single large loan is used to pay off several smaller loans. You no longer have to worry if you missed payments on several smaller debts because you only need to make a single regular payment for the new consolidated loan.

While debt consolidation can be a lifesaver, it can also result in bad debt if you don’t know how to manage it. That’s why it is important to look into the interest rate which must be lower than the previous smaller ones, to save money on your monthly payments.

Debt Settlement

Consolidation through a debt settlement means that you engage the services of a debt settlement firm that negotiates settlement with each of your creditor. While they are not offering consolidation loans, they can help you negotiate debts and settlement. Your debt will be settled when the creditor agrees to accept an amount which is lower than what you actually owed.
You may have to draw a check and pay it to the debt settlement firm that then distributes the payment amount to your creditors. You still have multiple loans. But, with proper distribution of payments, you no longer have to worry about creditors running after you.

When is debt consolidation appropriate?

Debt consolidation is for people who want to consolidate multiple accounts into one. They must be willing to pay lower total monthly payments, but a higher total amount of interest and at a longer time to repay all of the debt.  They must also consider closing paid off accounts to avoid the temptation of taking on even more debt and be caught up in the cycle of incurring new charges and getting debt help.

Debt consolidation is not for everyone. It is important to talk to our consultants to know about different options to manage your debts. Remember that debt consolidation is most effective when you are enrolled in our debt management program that will equip you with financial knowledge to avoid future debts. We shall help you create a better financial management strategy that will not only help you get out of debt but enable you to be financially independent.

Australian Lending Centre offers debt consolidation to manage your multiple loans in one easy repayment, with lower interests and it is available to everyone, whether you have good or bad credit. You can take control of your finances by consolidating high-interest loans such as credit cards, medical loans, store cards, cash advances, secured and unsecured debts and other loans.

Contact us today to discover the best way to consolidate debt and for a no-obligation consultation on your eligibility for debt consolidation and other loan options.

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Credit Card Consolidation

How to Use Credit Cards to Your Advantage

Credit cards are known to be risky business for some people. If you have trouble balancing your budget every month then taking on a credit card or two should be your very last resort. If on the other hand, you are able to balance your monthly budget as well as save regularly then you are probably financially savvy enough to handle the responsibility of a credit card. Learn how to use credit cards to your advantage in this article.

Credit Cards – Tips and Tricks

Credit cards do generally have high interest rates on the balance that is left over after the pay period. If you always pay off your balance at the end of every billing period then you may be able to take advantage of the credit card. This is a huge convenience if you are short on cash just before pay day or if you have a big expense that your checking account cannot cover. It might usually take time to gather up the funds for that large purchase and if you pay off the balance when it is due then you have basically gotten yourself an interest free loan. You can look at it as a free loan from the time you made the purchase up until you pay it off. If the loan period is maximised then you could, in practice, get a 55 day loan without any interest.

You can have your credit card provider take the balance due directly from your savings account each month. Bypassing the tedious chore of transferring funds each month, you have essentially created an interest free form of cash available to you at any time. Any big surprises can be handled with the swipe of your plastic but this is all assuming that you can keep enough in your savings account to handle those payments.

If you are able to keep this balancing act going for long then you can take advantage of the incentives that some credit cards have such as points or cash back programs. A credit card with a good points program usually has a yearly fee. The fee can be outweighed by the big gains that can be made if you play the points game well. Having all of your purchases funneled through a points reward credit card can quickly grow your flight credits or give you big cash back returns. Some credit cards can also offer insurance on purchases. Even though all forms of credit including credit cards have risks, with discipline, the advantages can outweigh the risks.