Categories
Debt Consolidation

Tips on How to Qualify for a Debt Consolidation Loan

If your credit score does not meet the minimum requirement of the bank, and you don’t have a regular income and you are spending more than 40% of your income on debt repayments, you may not qualify for a debt consolidation loan. Banks often reject applications of those with unstable income and negative credit entries on their credit report, unless they have sufficient security for the loan. Learn how to qualify for a debt consolidation loans when you have bad credit.

Check your credit history:

If you want to get a cheaper consolidation loan, you need to prepare your credit file. Though bad credit holders can still obtain affordable loans, it is advisable to know what’s inside your credit file. For all you know, you are just having a bad credit score because of wrong and inaccurate entries. It will also give you time to explain to your potential lender why and how you ended up with that score.

Many lenders understand that some life events can hold you back financially. Use the information in your credit file to explain your circumstances and to convince your lender that you are still capable of making payments despite certain financial setbacks in the past. So, grab that file and use it to have a better negotiation with your lenders. Get the loan product and loan arrangement that could help you get away debt-free after the repayment term.

You want to get rid of debts:

If you wait for a longer period to deal with your debts, it may get out of hand. Debt consolidation is advisable for those who are awaiting a crisis if they don’t eliminate the debts. It is true that bad credit is a huge issue in taking the loan. But, if you choose the right lender you can get access to the much-needed consolidation loan without making your credit score an issue.

Let’s say you have previous debts under five different lenders. Now instead of paying monthly instalments to each of them, you will get a consolidation loan pay the instalments to that new lender. The main purpose of taking the loan is to save money by eliminating all those debts with a higher interest rate in exchange for a bad credit debt consolidation loan with a lower interest rate.

Present valuable collateral:

Do you have a new car, boat, home or any pricey asset that the lender can sell or liquidate in the vent you default on payments? If you want quick approval loans, secure your consolidation loan with a pricey asset. Lenders no longer bother to look at your credit score when you secure the loan. They may also give you affordable interest rates which are comparable to the rates offered by banks. In fact, you may get around 14% APR or lower with good security.

You have a good repayment plan in mind:

While this is not a requirement per se, it is advisable to have a plan before you apply for a loan.

Some debt consolidation companies offer their services to borrowers who are struggling with debts. But, you can do it yourself. In fact, if you have a sound debt repayment plan in mind, you simply need to apply for a loan to consolidate your other smaller loans, and you can repay it within the allotted time frame.

Debt consolidation is only a suitable option for those who want to end up with more cash at hand at the end of the month, and with lesser debts to pay off. It is because there are many people who tried to consolidate their loans but ended up with more debts because they have chosen a poor debt structure and they don’t have a sound debt repayment plan in mind.

So, here are some questions to ask yourself before planning to consolidate your loans:

  1. Do I have the discipline to avoid using my existing credit cards the moment I paid them off with my consolidation loan?
  2. Can I stick with my debt repayment plan so that I will not end up with more debts in the process?
  3. What will I do to increase my income?

A loan is a loan-regardless of its type. That means you have to pay it back. Make sure that you use the proceeds of the consolidation loans wisely, not only to repay all your high interest and smaller debts, but to improve your financial life as well.

Categories
Debt Management

The Wrong Ways to Pay Off Your Debt

Being in debt can be stressful, no one denies that. And the pressure can place you in a range of challenging positions, forcing you to cave in and make the wrong financial decisions. Embracing the right ways to pay off your debt is more than mandatory.

But how do you know which are those? Well, you must get acquainted with the practices that should be avoided, and this is what we’re going to discuss in today’s article. Keep on reading to discover the wrong ways to pay off your debt.

Consolidate with a high-interest loan

Debt consolidation makes sense when the financing solution provided by the lender is actually favourable. If the loan terms are convenient for your financial situation, you should go for it. Nonetheless, choosing debt consolidation for the wrong reason and failing to analyse the implications of the term will do you more harm than good.

In the case in which the only loan you can obtain has an interest rate that is higher than your credit card debt, you should leave it aside.

At first, you may believe that your monthly repayments appear lower with debt settlement. Nonetheless, that is only because the loan has an extended timeframe. If you were to calculate the interest you’d end up paying during the life span of the loan, you might come to realise that such a solution is not the best. So, this is definitely one of the wrong ways to pay off your debt.

Misusing your home equity loan

The second on our list of one of the worst ways to pay off your debt: choosing a home equity loan. Even though you may assume that this could be the answer to all your problems, this is not always the case. Of course, there are many situations in which this option actually works. As always, everything depends on each person’s financial conditions.

However, if you’re struggling with high-interest credit card debt, you should pinpoint the root of the problem. For example, your debt situation might be a result of reckless spending and poor money management skills. If you don’t aim at solving the problem from its root, you are prone to end up in this exact scenario in a year or two. So, it goes without saying that a home equity loan won’t work as long as you don’t fix the underlying issue. In the case in which the loan ends up being unaffordable, you might lose your home as well.

Choosing the support of a debt settlement company

Accepting the guidance of a debt settlement company is, without a doubt, one of the most unfavourable ways to pay off your debt. As it is expected, these kinds of businesses advertise as being the solution to everybody’s money related problems. Nonetheless, after you manage to settle your debts, by paying significantly less than you owed, your credit rating is terrible, and you’re back where you started. Not to mention that we’re talking about a lengthy process. Even if your attempt is successful, you’ll have to work on rebuilding your credit score for years.

So, try to stay away from the methods mentioned above. There are other ways to pay off your debt without affecting your credit score in the process. Speak with a financial expert like Australian Lending Centre who offers free consultations on paying off debts and managing people’s finances.Save

Categories
Debt Management

5 Warning Signs of Out-of-Control Debts

The first sign of a financial problem is the denial that you need to ask for debt help. We are about to help you learn the warning signs of out-of-control debts so you can take back financial control.

A person is most likely to ask for help upon reaching the rock bottom when the only logical way out is bankruptcy. Before you sink deeper into debt, here are some questions you can ask yourself to know if you are in serious need of debt help.

Am I spending over my credit limit?

If you have maxed-out your credit card you can see an “over-limit” added to your next monthly statement. Though not all cards charge these fees because some card issuers waive the penalty, exceeding your credit card limit is a sign of personal financial mismanagement. It can seriously hurt your credit score because credit utilization accounts for about thirty per cent of your credit score.

If you didn’t stay well within the limit available to you, it would alert the credit score company that you are having a hard time managing your finances. You have two options here, either you increase your credit limit or you take a look at your spending behaviour. If you are barely able to pay your bill each month, choosing option number two is a good idea.

Do I have multiple credit cards?

Some say that you can never have too many credit cards because you will end up using them. The truth is, having multiple credit cards can help you boost your credit score, and they may come in handy during emergencies. But if you have the habit of forgetting to make payments or you are tempted to spend beyond what you can actually afford to pay because of the available credits, it can hurt you. One of the biggest warning signs of out-of-control debts is mounting credit card debt.

Remember that the best way to fatten your wallet and get out of debt is to manage your current accounts and your available finances responsibly.

Am I using credit to pay for basic necessities?

If you are using credit for small purchases such as food, gas, rent and utilities not for convenience but necessity, it could be a sign that you need debt help. Not paying your monthly bills on time and charging your living expenses to your credit cards may push you deeper into debt. Talking to our debt management specialists can help you rearrange your budget so you can have money for your living expenses.

Do I constantly borrow money from relatives or friends?

If you always run to your family and friends during financial emergencies and you’re still short on cash despite loans and credit cards, it may be time to learn how to budget your money. You can start with a debt management plan to know how much you really need to pay off all your debts and the amount you need to live comfortably. While you can make a list of all your debts and do the math, getting the help of debt management would be a better idea, to know about debt consolidation options and other debt management strategies.

When do I ask for debt help? The answer would be now. The moment you start asking yourself that question, it means you are having troubles managing your finances.

At the Australian Lending Centre, we can offer you the best debt counselling service in Australia and help you explore options and make decisions regarding your personal finances and debt management problems. Contact us today to learn more about debt assistance, debt agreements and debt relief services.

Categories
Debt Management

Debt Snowballing – Debt Repayment Strategy

Debt snowballing is a method of debt repayment that may be used to clear a number of debts together. With this method of debt repayment, the lowest debt is the one that is initially concentrated on and eliminated first.