Consumer Credit Debt Consolidation - What Are Your Options?

Authored By: Carrie Reeder

The average person carries about eight or nine credit cards! And if you have that many--or even more--you may be looking for a way to consolidate your debt into one, easy monthly payment. Fortunately, you have some options to consolidating your debt. You may want to consider:

A loan.

If you're a home owner, a Home Equity Loan, Home Equity Line of Credit or second mortgage is probably the least expensive way for you to borrow a lump sum of cash for debt consolidation. By tapping into the equity in your home, you can pay off your creditors so that you only have one creditor--your Home Equity lender--to worry about each month. If you're not a home owner, you might still be able to secure a relatively low interest rate personal loan if you use an item of value that you own as collateral, such as your car, your boat, stocks or bonds, or jewelry.

Another credit card.

Sure, the idea of getting yet another credit card might sound crazy and irresponsible. But the key is to sign up for a low interest card and then transfer ALL the balances from your old cards onto your new one. That way, you've consolidated all your credit cards onto a single one. And you don't have to sign up for a new account if you already have a card that has a zero balance plus low interest. In that case, you can simply transfer your other credit card balances to the low interest card you already own. Either way, it's a simple and relatively painless way to consolidate your debt.

Get professional help.

Can't qualify for a loan or a new credit card? It's possible you need professional assistance. Debt consolidation companies--also called debt management companies--can help you lower your interest rates, lower your minimum payments and consolidate your debt into one monthly bill. You can find a debt consolidation company by searching online, asking friends and family, or checking your local yellow pages.

No matter which choice you make, debt consolidation can help you get back in control of your financial life. By consolidating multiple credit card payments into one bill, you'll find it easier to make your monthly payment on time. Moreover, many debt consolidation options allow you to lower your interest rate and minimum payments, which can help you save money and pay off your debt faster.